One of the most crucial aspects of a democratic state is the obligation of civic duty. In return for the government providing liberties and services, citizens are asked to serve the state in various ways as a part of a social contract, first theorized by Rousseau. There are obvious services like paying taxes and following the law, yet services in regards to political activism are usually ignored by citizens, specifically voting. In the 2016 election, less than sixty percent of eligible voters went to the polls, continuing a downward trend of the voting rate in the United States. The absence of participatory politics may not seem threatening, but a recurring shift away from the freedom to choose our governance may result in the loss of other freedoms, as well as a movement away from the idea of holding leaders accountable. For America to continue its long trend of democracy, voter participation rates must rise, or else we risk taking steps further away from freedom and fairness.
One of the main reasons that many Americans are unable to vote is due to little time in the day. From going to work to taking care of families, many cannot justify heading to the polls in their schedule. It certainly does not help that Election Day is held on a Tuesday, when many have to work. A simple yet effective way to increase voter turnout is to require employers to allow employees a mandatory two hour break in order to go to the polls. While a simpler plan would be to make Election Day a federal holiday, this would not work due to the many stores, restaurants, and small businesses that remain open even on federal holidays. Requiring a two hour break will allow businesses to remain open, give citizens time to vote, and keep schools open so taking care of one’s children will not be an issue. This is not a perfect solution, as it will require employers to plan out how they allow breaks for employees, as well as requiring teachers to stay in school for part of the day. However, states such as Hawaii are already implementing laws like this, and it seems to be increasing voter turnout. Giving the populace more time on Election Day to vote is essential for ensuring a larger participation in politics.
Another approach to this issue would be to give felons the right to vote at the end of their sentence. Due to various state laws, there are currently over six million citizens in America that are disfranchised due to a prior prison sentence. While many believe that former convicts should not be allowed to vote due to past crimes, one can argue that allowing an former convict to vote will set them on the path back to being a full citizen. These individuals have paid their dues to society, and should be treated as normal citizens following their sentence. Enacting a federal law that guarantees the restoration of voting rights for former convicts will allow a large group of disenfranchised voters to participate in the electoral process and strengthen our democratic base.
However, while this would increase the population of eligible voters, it would not motivate already eligible voters. A more controversial way to motivate already eligible voters would be to automatically register citizens to vote once they turn eighteen. One of the larger reasons that many do not vote is that they do not want to register, or that they do not realize how quick the process is. An automatic register nationwide similar to the system that Oregon has would be the solution to this issue. The Center for American Progress research found that, if every state implemented Oregon’s model of automatic registration, over 22 million registered voters could be added to state voter rolls in just the first year. This could add more than 7.9 million new voters nationwide within just the first year of implementation. Not only will this remove a common barrier to voting, it will incentivize more people to go out and vote. While this option may increase bureaucracy by giving the government another function in the election process, it will dramatically increase the amount of participants in our democracy.
There are other ways to increase voter turnout, mainly related to peaking the public’s interest in politics, but the policy plans laid out above are administrative changes that can be met with little resistance and involve small amounts of change in governmental procedure. These changes will provide support for our democratic institutions, and create a more engaged and participatory nation. Our democracy is strong, but we must prevent any hindrance of the American belief of liberty and the accountability of our leaders.