Our current voting system is a threat to democracy

I did not vote in this past election. Not because I did not feel inclined to practice my civil duty, nor because I was feeling lazy that Nov. 5 nor because I thought “both sides were bad.” I did not vote simply because I was unable to vote. On Nov. 5, 2024, I was about two months shy of the legal voting age.​

I was disappointed — no — I was in an all-out frenzy, angered by the fact that this election could possibly dictate the course of my formative years, and I was completely dependent on 174 million voters to make the “right decision.” To say the least, I had no hope. But, as I sat in my room, watching my local news station show clip after clip of the insanely long lines at the polling stations, not to mention the occasional protestor, I thought about voting in a way I, truthfully, had not in a long time. I saw voting in its entirety: from the very first election to its legacy as an unjust oppressor instead of a constitutional right.

When the United States of America was officially founded, the right to vote — the basis of our democracy — was extended to the American people. Or rather, it was extended to an extremely specific group of American people: white male landowners. The framers did not view non-landowning men, women or slaves as “worthy” enough of holding what Americans today view as a fundamental right.​

Despite changes in legislation that have abolished voting practices such as poll taxes and the grandfather clause, the objectively undemocratic restrictions of American election history manifest themselves in the electoral system today. We try to find justification for our current system in order to subdue the guilt we often feel toward our nation’s past. But I believe that the systemically oppressive history of American elections is still present today in society — specifically in the form of voter suppression — resulting in a system that fails to uphold the American political values of democracy, liberty, justice and equality.​

States practice voter suppression in a multitude of ways, one of which is strict voter identification laws. In Texas during the 2022 primary, over 18,000 Texan mail-in ballots were rejected due to recent GOP voting rules through Senate Bill 1, which created legislation that tightened state election laws and limited counties’ ability to expand voting options. Of the ballots tossed, most were likely from people over the age of 65 and those with disabilities. Under the guise of preserving voter integrity, we have produced a system with undemocratic outcomes by preventing certain demographics of people from exercising their right to vote.

Further, strict voter identification laws create unequal voting opportunities. Eligible voters in Texas who do not have acceptable identification cannot vote, and eligible voters who do not meet the Texas mail-in voting requirements but are not able to vote in person cannot vote either. The voices of people of color, elderly people, disabled people and low-income individuals are all lost in elections when legislation forms barriers to voter access in the name of voter integrity.

Not to mention, arbitrary requirements and harsh penalties also discourage voter participation, especially in communities of color. In Georgia, lawmakers have criminalized providing food and water to voters in line at polls, which experts have called “criminalization of the ballot box.” In Georgia districts with high Black populations, lines can be famously long, and such laws can instill a fear of voting in communities of color due to the history of racism and inequality within law enforcement. Criminalization of the ballot box disproportionately affects people of color, as they are more likely to both come in contact with law enforcement and be penalized than their white counterparts.

Not only have state leaders used harsh penalties to impact voter participation, but they have also used gerrymandering to impact the results of elections and suppress the voices of the people. In the U.S., political leaders have used gerrymandering to redraw legislative and congressional districts to favor one political party over another.

Redrawing district lines can effectively reflect the population and demographics of a state. But gerrymandering suppresses the people’s voice by either “packing” certain groups of voters into as few districts as possible or splitting groups of people with similar characteristics across multiple districts. In both instances, gerrymandering weakens specific groups’ voting strength in local or state elections, allowing political candidates to neglect their needs when running for office. 

In 2018, Wisconsin Democrats won every statewide office and the statewide vote majority, but won only 36 of the 99 seats in the state assembly. In Maryland, Democrats used their map-drawing control to eliminate one of the state’s Republican congressional districts. The overwhelming strength of gerrymandering in the U.S. forcefully takes power away from the people and fails to uphold democracy. If the actions of political leaders rather than the votes of the American people can determine the outcome of American elections, then American elections are neither democratic nor equal.

​When states use the law to prevent voter participation, democracy cannot be upheld. When legislation and practices target certain groups of Americans, it is incorrect to say that American elections foster equality. I am finally 18 years old. I am finally eligible to vote and am so ready to do my part. But I cannot help but wonder what barriers might stand in my way; and if not in my way, what about the way of my neighbor?