The Republican Party’s relentless efforts to barricade minority communities from the polls will once again rear its ugly head in the 2024 presidential election cycle. The United States, the cradle of democracy and a nation that boasts of leading the free world, continues its shameful attempt to expunge citizens from the voting process. Nothing justifies burying something as vital as voter registration under layers of bureaucratic obtusity, when, in reality, registration takes no more than five minutes. Voting disenfranchisement is an outright travesty to U.S. democracy.
Washington, D.C. and 24 states have enacted or implemented automatic voter registration. This system should be a norm across the nation. Automatic voter registration allows citizens to seamlessly register to vote while interacting with other bureaucratic agencies. The most common example is at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV): When renewing peoples’ driver’s licenses, DMV workers ask citizens if they wish to register to vote, and with a mere signature, people secure their place in the electoral process. Full voter registration capabilities encompass the right to register on Election Day, during early voting — in person or through absentee ballots — and even offer the opportunity for same-day registration.
The three most difficult states to vote in are New Hampshire, Mississippi and Arkansas. The majority of restrictive voting policies can be found in Republican-led states. Georgia is a phenomenal example of where the Republican-led legislature heavily manipulates the Black vote within Atlanta. The origin of this was the spiraling lies propagated by former President Donald Trump’s claim, “In actuality, the Big Lie was the Election itself.” Republican states accelerated the volume of restrictive bills that inhibited minorities from voting in as high volumes as their white counterparts. In fact, within one year, 19 states have passed a staggering 33 laws constraining voter registration and voter access. We cannot ignore the evil parallels with the past — manipulating the political process by limiting who is able to show up to the polls is something conservatives have been doing for many years.
In 1870, the 15th Amendment was a hopeful light, granting all people the right to vote, regardless of skin color. However, southern states quickly passed Jim Crow laws to bar Black people’s access to ballots by imposing literary tests, poll taxes and grandfather clauses. There were rare cases where Black people were allowed to vote but the vast majority of candidates were all white; Black people were not given the opportunity to vote for anyone who would really advance their priorities and protections. The disenfranchisement then echoes today’s struggle. Strict voter registration laws are not exact mirrors of what it was like for a Black person to vote during this time. However, the goal of the power-wielders is still the same: get “those”people to not vote.
The audacity of the Republican Party astounds, even appalls, me. It is deeply hypocritical and baffling that the party which prides itself as the champion of patriotism seeks to obliterate the very cornerstone of U.S. history: democracy. Our democracy stands in tatters, and I’m left wondering if it ever truly stood strong. Throughout history, equal opportunity, access, resources and empowerment to vote have never been present in our country. By now, a nation that claims to lead the free world should respect the opinions and identities of its citizenry enough to ensure the exercise of their democratic rights. It is unjust that a person in Oregon enjoys greater democratic access than someone in New Hampshire. A democracy that does not open its arms to all is no democracy at all; it is a sham, a deceit and a national betrayal.
Voting is not just a civic duty; it is an unequivocal obligation for our younger generation to rise above the hurdles and march to the polls with unwavering determination. We must be the voice for those who cannot defend themselves. Organizations like Young Democrats of Emory and Emory Votes Initiative will help any and all students get registered. In past years, Emory University has also had a surplus of Election Day programs and resources to ensure students can cast their ballots without unnecessary hassles. I have no doubt that the University will once again step up to the plate in 2024. Georgia’s presidential primary election is on March 12, 2024 — the registration deadline is Feb. 12, 2024. I implore every capable student to seize this opportunity. Understand that the right to vote is not just a privilege — it is a hallowed right that we must treasure above all else. Let us not just show up at the polls. Let us march there with the unshakable belief that our collective voice will be the force of change that this world desperately needs. The status quo is no longer acceptable, and immediate action is imperative. The time for passive observation has passed. It is now vital for all parties to actively demand government officials to stop barring people from the ballot box.
Lola McGuire (26C) is from Nashville, Tenn.
