Though it can be argued that those without the right to vote can still express themselves, the ability to exercise that right and defend it from legal/governmental challenge depends on representation/advocacy by legislatures. If a community cannot decide how and when they can express themselves, how can we say they truly have “freedom of expression”?

Voter Suppression

Voter suppression is any effort to make it more difficult for people to vote. There are many different forms of voter suppression, but some of the most common include:

• Voter ID laws: Requiring voters to show identification at the polls. While voter ID laws may seem like a common-sense measure, they disproportionately disenfranchise minority voters, who are less likely to have government-issued IDs.
• Cutting early voting: Early voting allows voters to cast their ballots before Election Day. Cutting early voting makes it more difficult for people to vote, especially those working long hours or facing transportation challenges.
• Closing polling places: Closing polling places makes it more difficult for people to vote, especially those who live in rural areas or who have difficulty getting around.
• Voter roll purges: Voter roll purges remove voters from voter rolls. These purges can be done for various reasons, such as people who have moved or not voted in a certain number of years. However, voter roll purges can also be used to disenfranchise voters, predominantly minority voters.
• Strict voter registration laws: Strict voter registration laws make registering more difficult for people to vote. These laws can include requiring people to register in person, provide proof of citizenship, or pay a fee to register.
• Misinformation: Misinformation about voting can discourage people from voting or make it difficult for them to vote. This misinformation can be spread through social media, word-of-mouth, or even by election officials.

Voter suppression is a severe problem in the United States. It can disenfranchise voters and make it more difficult for people to have their voices heard. Several organizations are working to fight voter suppression, and several laws have been passed to protect voting rights. However, more work needs to be done to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to vote.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute, 19 states enacted 34 laws that make voting harder in 2021. These laws include:

• Voter ID laws: 17 states have passed voter ID laws requiring voters to show identification at the polls. These laws disproportionately disenfranchise minority voters, who are less likely to have government-issued IDs.
• Cuts to early voting: 14 states have cut early voting, which allows voters to cast their ballots before Election Day. These cuts make it more difficult for people to vote, especially those working long hours or facing transportation challenges.
• Closing polling places: 11 states have closed polling places, making it more difficult for people to vote, especially those who live in rural areas or who have difficulty getting around.
• Voter roll purges: 10 states have conducted voter roll purges, which remove voters from voter rolls. These purges can be done for various reasons, such as people who have moved or not voted in a certain number of years. However, voter roll purges can also be used to disenfranchise voters, predominantly minority voters.
• Strict voter registration laws: 9 states have passed strict voter registration laws, which make it more difficult for people to register to vote. These laws can include requiring people to register in person, provide proof of citizenship, or pay a fee to register (which, for minority voters, is a call-back to Jim Crow laws).
• Misinformation: 8 states have passed laws that make it easier to spread misinformation about voting. Misinformation can discourage people from voting or make it difficult for them to vote.

The Brennan Center for Justice also found that Republicans disproportionately supported these laws. For example, 16 of the 17 states that passed voter ID laws were controlled by Republicans when the laws were passed. Similarly, 13 of the 14 states that cut early voting were controlled by Republicans at the time the cuts were made.

Though not all of these laws may have been intended to suppress the vote, they have a disproportionate impact on minority voters. Since most minority voters are Democratic^[1], Republicans are motivated to suppress minority voting. The Republicans insist such efforts are to combat “voter fraud.” Still, that issue is so overtly overblown and statistically insignificant that continued efforts to amplify the lie of its impact only highlight their efforts to undermine election integrity until they get the results they want.

A related effort to siphon off opposition votes has been attempting to gain access and take control of voting processes^[2] within the United States.

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^[1]According to the Pew Research Center, in the 2020 presidential election, 87% of Black voters and 67% of Hispanic voters voted for Democratic candidate Joe Biden, while 8% of Black voters and 31% of Hispanic voters voted for Republican candidate Donald Trump.

^[2] There is evidence that some organized groups are working to take control of the election apparatus in the United States. These groups often target election officials, voting machines, and voter registration databases. They may also spread misinformation about elections to discourage people from voting.

One of the most well-known examples of this is the efforts of former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Trump and his allies made numerous false claims about voter fraud, and they pressured state officials to overturn the results of the election. These efforts were unsuccessful, but they have raised concerns about the security of elections in the United States.

Another example is the efforts of the conservative group True the Vote to challenge the use of voting machines in the United States. True the Vote has alleged that voting machines are susceptible to hacking and that they have been used to commit voter fraud. However, these allegations have not been substantiated, and there is no evidence that voting machines have been used to affect the outcome of any election.

The spread of misinformation about elections is also a concern. Some groups are spreading false information about voter fraud to discourage people from voting. This can have a real impact on voter turnout, as people who believe that elections are rigged may be less likely to participate in the electoral process.

The efforts of these organized groups to take control of the election apparatus are a threat to democracy. They undermine the public’s trust in elections, and they make it more difficult for people to vote. Be aware of these efforts and to take steps to protect the integrity of elections.