The Scandal of Voter Suppression by William John Cox + 16 States Face New Voting Restrictions

used with permission, image copyright by Helen Cox

used with permission, image copyright by Helen Cox

by William John Cox
Writer, Dandelion Salad
williamjohncox.com
February 29, 2016

Ostensibly, universal voting is the ideal of a free and democratic republic; however, barriers have been placed between many citizens and the ballot box ever since the creation of the United States. Many of these obstacles, such as property ownership and the racially-biased poll tax, have been removed. They are, however, being replaced by voter identification (ID) laws and other voter suppression schemes designed to discourage and prevent many, otherwise eligible voters from participating in elections. Voter suppression takes many forms and—in its aggregate—could allow the election of a president in the November 2016 election who is not the choice of the American People.

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