Voter Restoration
Historically, the term "voter restoration" has been associated with returning voting rights to individuals with felony convictions. Through the Voter Restoration Initiative, however, the Voter Engagement Coalition seeks to extend the term and to broaden the conversation.
Over the next eight weeks, we will acknowledge the histories and legacies of voter suppression within marginalized communities that discourage citizens from participating in the present-day voting process. We will highlight the challenges and resilience of communities across the country who are still not able to vote, even though they have the legal right to do so. Through community storytelling and dialogue, we hope to encourage important conversations that will ultimately raise the voices that our nation has historically silenced.
The Voter Restoration Initiative reflects the intersection of two of Illinois State's core values, civic engagement and diversity and inclusion, by acknowledging the sociohistorical legacy and present-day experiences of power and oppression within the American political voting system.
Voter Restoration Topics
- COVID Concerns the Mail-In Vote
- The Power of the Youth Vote
- Tribal Communities Fighting to Vote
- The Latinx Voting Movement
- Voter Restoration and the War on Drugs
- Black America and the Evolution of Voter Suppression
- The 19th Amendment and Women of Color
- The Century-Long Fight: The Black Sorority Movement for Voting Rights
COVID Concerns with the Mail-In Vote
There are multiple factors at play within the Postal Service that are worrisome for the upcoming general election. The USPS is having mail delays, in part due to years of financial troubles and reforms implemented by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. This is a concern for many voters because, due to COVID-19, there is an expectation that the United States will experience a surge in requests for mail-in ballots.
If you plan to vote by mail, make sure that your voice is heard by returning your ballot as early as possible, and definitely prior to the Nov. 3 deadline.
Resources
- Explained: The US Postal Service's funding crisis, and what it means for the 2020 elections
- Dr. Crothers' Memo to POL 106 Students: Voting in the 2020 Election
Reflection Questions
- Why does being able to mail in your ballot matter?
- How does voting by mail restore the voices of silenced communities?
- How can voting by mail be more accessible?
The Power of the Youth Vote
The larg
est voting population in the U.S. are the youth. They are also more educated and civically engaged than past generations. Young adults have the numbers and interest in voting, but voter turnout among this group has remained low. Voting needs to be more accessible, so that young voters have the opportunity to be engaged in our democracy.
Resources
Reflection Questions
- What does youth activism look like?
- How does our culture influence and impact youth political engagement (e.g., attitudes/behaviors toward voting/involvement in politics)?
- What barriers do young voters face and how can they be overcome?
- How can we change the narrative that youth votes don't matter?
Tribal Communities Fighting to Vote
Native Americans have the lowest voter turnout among all groups. Even though citizenship was finally granted to Native Americans in 1924, there is an ongoing fight to ensure Native American voting rights. This is especially true among those who live in tribal reservations, where they have unique factors that impact the ability to vote. The laws and policies implemented around voting make it substantially difficult for Native Americans to engage in the democratic process.
Resources
- A North Dakota Tribe Is Fighting to Vote, Here's Why It Matters
- How the Native American Vote Continues to be Suppressed
- Court Permanently Strikes Down Montana Law that Restricts Voting Rights of Native Americans
- Sko Vote Den: Why Voting in NDN Country Matters, a New Podast Hosted by Jade Begay
- Native Vote Website
Reflection Questions
- Why does representative matter for Native Americans in our democracy?
- What are the barriers to voting for Native Americans?
- How can their voices be restored?
- How is voting further complicated by Native Americans history with the government?
The Latinx Voting Movement
The Latinx community is fighting for their voices to be heard in our democracy. Actions such as changing poll locations, photo I.D. requirements, and the purging of voter rolls, are having negative impacts on Latinx citizens' ability to vote. However, groups such as Loto Latino are committed to empowering and educating Latinx voters. A simple way this is done is registering as many eligible Latinx voters as possible.
Resources
- Voto Latino Website
- New Series Empowers Record Number of Latinx to Register to Vote for the 2020 Elections
- Latino Groups Fight Voter Suppression Efforts as US election Nears
Reflection Questions
- What barriers do Latinx citizens face when engaging in political processes? How can they be overcome?
- What is the importance of the Latinx Voting Movement?
- How does the growing population of eligible Latinx voters impact our political landscape?
Voter Restoration and the War on Drugs
The aim of the War on Drugs is to stop the trade, distribution, and use of illegal drugs by increasing prison sentences for users and dealers. Black communities have been hit the hardest by the policies enacted from this campaign, even though White communities have had similar rates of illegal drug activity. This has contributed to the boom in our prison population, where Black people are disproportionately represented. This, in turn, has impacted the voting rights of numerous Black individuals. Decades later, this campaign continues to disenfranchise minorities, while there has been little to no reduction of illegal drug activity in the U.S.
Resources
- The War on Drugs: From Prohibition to Gold Rush (narrated by Jay Z)
- Disenfranchisement in the Era of Mass Incarceration
- Racism & Felony Disenfranchisement: An Intertwined History
Reflection Questions
- How is racism interwoven into policies and what purpose does it serve?
- How does the War on Drugs initiative uphold white supremacy? What impact has this had on the Black community?
- How can we get rid of racist policies and make sure new policies do not silence communities voices?
Black America and the Evolution of Voter Suppression
Voter suppression is a tactic used to discourage voters from voting. While past tactics were overt, such as poll taxes or physical violence, voter suppression has evolved and continues to disproportionately impact people of color. Today's tactics, like strict voter I.D. laws limiting early voting, make it harder to exercise the right to vote.
Resources
- Suppressed: The Fight To Vote (Full film, featuring Stacey Abrams)
- Opinion: How Voter Intimidation and Suppression Have Evolved Since the 15th Amendment
- Systematic Inequality and American Democracy
Reflection Questions
- What barriers do Black citizens face when voting and how can they be overcome?
- Why is it more difficult to identify voter suppression now than in the past?
- What impact did the 2013 Shelby County v Holder Supreme Court ruling have on voting rights?
- How has structural racism impacted Black Americans electoral power?
The 19th Amendment and Women of Color
It's been 100 years since the 19th Amendment was ratified in the U.S. and it's important to acknowledge that racism ran rampant throughout this movement. Women of color were marginalized by white suffragists, who refused to acknowledge their concerns about race. Some suffragists even used white supremacy as a tool to further the cause for women's voting rights. Many women are still in the fight for women's voting rights.
Resources
Reflection Questions
- Why were all women not able to vote after the 19th Amendment?
- How was the women's suffrage movement rooted in white supremacy?
- Who had the power to shape the narrative of the women's suffrage movement and who was left out?
- What role did racism play in the women's suffrage movement?
Century-long Fight: Black Sorority Movement for Voting Rights
Delta Sigma Theta was founded in 1913 at Howard University. It is a predominately Black sorority that is committed to the development of their members and public service, primarily around the Black community. The organization has a long history of activism, with their involvement in the women's suffrage parade being one of their first public acts. They believed in the importance of voting rights for Black women, and despite the great risk to their lives, they decided to participate in the march.
Resources
- Delta Sigma Theta: Black Sorority Project (Full Length Documentary)
- The Black Sorority that Faced Racism in the Suffrage Movement but Refused to Walk Away
Reflection Questions
- What is the importance of having Pan-Hellenic Greek organizations?
- What impact have Pan-Hellenic Greek organizations had on their communities?
- What efforts do Delta Sigma Theta put towards voting?