Friday, March 17, 2006

Friday Essay Question

In some places in the U.S. convicted felons lose the right to vote. In the 1960's, poll taxes were declared unconstitutional. More recently there has been talk regarding a "voter's ID card" that would be required to be presented at the polls to prove your identity and help eliminate voter fraud.

Your essay question for this Friday involves voting. You have carte blanche to create the laws regarding voting, who should be allowed to vote, who shouldn't, methods of identification, etc. How, if at all, would your laws restrict who can vote (uninformed, uneducated, criminal, non-citizen, whatever)? Make sure you explain and support your answer. Tell your friends! I might update with follow up questions after a couple days. Grades will be arbitrary and capricious.

1 comment:

Cassie said...

I believe that the only citizens who should be denied the right to vote are those who are currently serving time for a felony. Serving time means that they are currently in prison/jail or are on probation or parole. I believe that the right to vote should be reinstated after they've paid their debt to society.
I don't believe in polling place ID cards, what's the difference if I vote absentee anyhow? If an ID is going to be required at polling places then absentee ballots should be disallowed. I understand the argument that the ballots come to our homes and therefore there is less of a chance of major voting fraud. But that doesn't change the fact that there is still a chance that the person who is supposed to be voting will not be the one actually filling out the ballot.
Our method of voting without ID's is not perfect, but no method ever will be. There will always be fraud in our voting system but a right as important as voting should not be greatly restricted.