The Voting Issue

If you browse through Think Progress’ left-leaning blog site, you will find a post by a guest blogger with an interesting headline. It boldly reads, “In 22 Statehouses Across The Country, Conservatives Move to Disenfranchise Voters”. Kevin Donohoe, the blog’s author, announces the efforts of Republicans in various states to pass laws that will lengthen and complicate the voting process for many Americans. He claims that Republican lawmakers are intensifying the issue of voter fraud in order to win support for the proposed bills.

Donohoe believes that this is part of a plan aimed at suppressing the voices of middle class Americans. He argues that these new laws will exclude millions from voting, lower voter turnout within minority groups, and will be very costly at the expense of taxpayers. He also points out that we already have tough laws in place that address the concerns of fraudulent voting and these new laws may be unconstitutional.

To add credibility to his statements, Donohoe offers a list of states involved in this trend and a brief description of the proposed policies. The majority of bills being considered will require voters to obtain photo identification to exercise their right to vote. New Hampshire introduced a bill that would bar college students from voting where they live and attend school on the grounds that college students lack life experiences.

It seems to me that the author intended this blog to be a call for action. Donohoe views these initiatives as a threat to democracy and is taking an active approach to the issue. I clearly understand Donohoe’s position on the matter. The main issue isn’t the photo IDs or voter fraud, but a hidden objective conspired by individuals motivated by self interest. His concerns are valid and he provides a substantial amount of information to back up his argument.

I agree with Donohoe that the voting process should not exclude anyone that is currently qualified and to discourage specific groups from voting is unconstitutional. If voter fraud is such a huge issue, there should be ways to safeguard elections that will be fair to everyone and increase voter turnout.

Overall, this blog is an attention getter and achieves the blogger’s aim for reader interest. I would like to see how all this concludes.