CHALLENGES WITH registering
THIRD PARTY REGISTRATIONS
Recently, there have been many restrictions placed on non-profit organizations trying to conduct voter registration drives. Voters of color are much more likely to register at these drives, so these registrications will negatively impact these communities.
Some states over same-day registration, but many do not. The difference in voter turnout between the two is ~10-12%. As the registration window grows shorter, we see less people with the opportunity to vote on election day.
WHEN AND WHERE TO REGISTER
Three states require proof of citizenship documents to register. Many citizens do not possess or have ready and easy access to such documents and therefore will not be able to register or vote.
PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP
DURATIONAL RESIDENCY
Durational residency registration requirements, such as time limitations to register, disproportionately penalize populations that move frequently.
As a secret to none, Black and Latinx citizens are more likely to in-prisoned. There are over 5.3 million felon convicted citizens that are denied the right to vote, the most basic civil right, after serving a full sentences and transitioning to being active members in society.
FELON DISENFRAN-CHISEMENT
Some states practice voting registration purging, removing certain registered citizens from the roll. This is said to be done to eliminate no-longer-eligible citizens from rolls, but due to lack of structure in this process, many eligible voters become purged without notice.
VOTER PURGES
challenges with VOTING
Since standard in-person voting is inaccessible for many citizens–for reasons such as lack of flexibility in work schedule or transportation to polls–these individuals have come to rely on early or absentee voting. However, many states have passed bills to shorten the window for such opportunities.
EARLY OR ABSENTEE VOTING
Some states have strict voter ID policies that require voters to bring state-approved IDs to be able to vote on election day, which people do not have access too. There have also been many instances of ballots being selectively discarded due to signature discrepancies.
STRICT VOTER ID AND BALLOT REQUIREMENTS
One of the largest reasons that many citizens do not make it to polls on election day is overall discouragement due to general confusion and misinformation, whether accidental or intentional, of where/how to register and/or vote.
VOTER CONFUSION
VOTER INTIMIDATION AND HARASSMENT
Many minority voters are tormented or threatened either before or during election day to attempt to discourage them from voting.
The closure or late opening of polling places further deters minority groups with limited access from voting. With more closures, comes more bottlenecking at polls that are open, increasing line length and wait times, which many individuals cannot afford to wait in.
POLL CLOSURES AND LONG LINES
Due to maintenance neglecting of voting machines in certain locations, when Election Day comes around, many voters experience challenges such as overall unavailability of machines or glitches. Unavailability may cause many voters to give up and go home, while glitches can and have resulted in mis-votes.
MALFUNC-TIONING VOTER EQUIPMENT
GERRYMAN-DERING
"Politicians in many states have manipulated election districts to choose their voters—rather than having voters choose them." When voters are forced to vote in these unconstitutional divisions, we see inconsistencies in votes/outcomes.