Guaranteeing the Vote
Voter Protections Newsletter Volume 3 Issue 1
August 20, 2008
Advancement Project released, recently, In Pursuit of an Affirmative Right to Vote, a preliminary examination of the need to amend the U.S. Constitution in order to explicitly guarantee that all citizens have a fair, equal, and inclusive voice in our democracy. The report indentifies strategies that would be most effective in raising public awareness that the current combination of unduly burdensome procedures, underfunded bureaucracies and partisan officials have created a patchwork of arbitrary practices tending to contract, rather than expand the franchise.
Over the past two years, Advancement Project has been brainstorming with national leaders, local grassroots groups, and individual stakeholders across the country to inform them of our Right To Vote initiative and gauge their level of interest in the issue. We gained valuable insight from these conversations and as a result have started to identify strategies that would be most effective in pursing a constitutional amendment. Most importantly, we formed alliances with scores of activists and leaders who are interested in being part of a right to vote movement.
Also, during Advancement Project's planning phase we conducted a series of focus groups at geographically diverse locations across the country, with racially and ethnically diverse participants to begin to gain an understanding of the public's perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes regarding the right to vote and related issues. The focus group findings are encouraging. Virtually all participants were surprised to learn that the U.S. Constitution does not already provide an explicit right to vote. And, importantly, participants of all races overwhelmingly favor including an explicit right to vote in the Constitution. As one participant put it, the right to vote should be in the Constitution "so no one can take it away, ever."
As defenders of democracy each of us has fought to address the myriad voting irregularities for years in the courtroom and at the state house. But the fight is exhausting: a new challenge seems to emerge after every victory is celebrated. It is time to seriously consider a constitutional amendment for the right to vote. The right to vote must become a right guaranteed to all American citizens and not a privilege controlled by a few.
Click here to download a copy of the report.
