In class, we learned about the discrimination that happens to minorities in voting. Laws that at first glance seem reasonable, actually prevent many minorities from voting. Things such as strict ID laws, which unequally affects people of color, but is put into place under the pretense that it makes voting faster. They close down polls in low-income areas, making it very hard for people who are already don't have good access to transportation to vote. Also not letting felons vote is sometimes seen as trying to silence the minority vote since people of color are more likely to be in jail than white people. The federal government used to have oversight over voting laws in states with a history of discriminatory voting laws, but this was overturned by the supreme court in the Shelby decision. They claimed that this practice was outdated, but clearly, it is not due to the hoards of discriminatory voting laws that are popping up in those states. These might not be as blatant as the racist voting laws of the past, with poll taxes and literacy tests that were nearly impossible to pass, but they still are having an effect on the number of minorities that are voting. Minority votes are dropping, most likely because of the lack of protection they have now due to the Shelby decision. What should the US government do in order to prevent more of these laws from popping up? Does the government have an obligation to protect minorities and their right to vote, even if their right to vote isn't completely gone? Do you think that the supreme court was right in the Shelby decision? Do you think that these laws have any effect on who is being elected in these areas?
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/12/us/voting-rights-minorities.html
https://www.economist.com/democracy-in-america/2018/09/19/americas-unfair-voting-laws
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/07/poll-prri-voter-suppression/565355/
I think that the government should prevent these laws from being passed or at least try to enforce voting rights among all groups. The fact that the Shelby decision eliminated the protection has become a loophole for states to inadvertently discriminate against minority voters. I do agree with your conclusion that this issue impacts voter turnout and elections, even though they are not as blatant as voting laws that were discriminatory in the past. But one other thing to consider is that the sheer number of polling places has reduced because of low voter turnout. Granted, part of this is because of loopholes like this in place, but as we watched in the documentary, there are other reasons, such as people simply not wanting to "get involved with politics."
ReplyDeleteThe Shelby County v. Holder decision definitely made it so that states could legally discriminate against minority groups by making it more difficult for them to vote. I definitely agree that although not as blatant as they used to be, this is definitely a form of discrimination and can cause certain candidates to have more of a disadvantage if the minority groups are having a hard time voting.
ReplyDeleteThe Shelby County v. Holder Supreme Court decision definitely made it easier for states to discriminate against certain voters, as illustrated by the many examples you have pointed out. The Voting Rights Act provision that the Court overturned made it so that states wouldn't make laws that would cause such discrimination to happen, and as a result, voting and social circumstances have greatly improved though not completely.
ReplyDeleteJustice Ginsburg uses an analogy of the effect of throwing out preclearance, saying "throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet." Voting rights have improved because this provision existed, as how you are no longer getting more wet because, well, rain is stopped from making you even more wet. If you throw your umbrella away, you are certainly going to get wet in a rainstorm, similarly to how, as Sachi has shown, you will end up with laws furthering the discrimination of people at the polls if you take out part of the Voting Right Act preventing such actions.
Source:
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/12-96_6k47.pdf