The cost of voting in America
Critical Analysis
The Cost of Voting Index study (data shown above) ranks all 50 states based on the overall investment a resident must make, in time and resources, to vote. Researchers focused on 10 categories related to voting, including registration, inconvenience, early voting, polling hours and absentee voting. The two categories given the most weight, according to Scot Schraufnagel, a political scientist at Northern Illinois University and an author of the study, were ease of registration to vote and the availability of early voting, both in person and by mail. According to the data from the chart above, in what state is it hardest to vote
According to the data from the chart above, in what state is it easiest to vote?
How do you think political party control of states (see visual below)* impacts the ease of voting?
Over half of the state where it is hardest to vote were slave states. They were also the states that made it hardest for African-Americans to vote during Jim Crow. Why do you think these states make it harder to vote today?
The 14th Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law for all. Shouldn’t all Americans have roughly the same ease of voting?
How do you think the difficulty of voting impacts voter turnout rates.
How will the difficulty of voting affect your voting?
Why wouldn’t we make it as easy as possible to vote?
Mail in voting is easier, cheaper, and less prone to fraud. Why do you think so few states have voting by mail?
Based on the visuals below*, describe voting in your state.
Learning Extension
The findings are part of the 2022 edition of the Cost of Voting Index, a nonpartisan academic study that seeks to cut through the politics of voting access. The study ranks all 50 states based on the overall investment a resident must make, in time and resources, to vote. Check out the index.
Action Extension
If you will be 18 years old by Tuesday, November 8 then take two minutes and register to vote online. If you are too young to vote this year then find someone who is old enough and convince them to register.
