As the US Presidential election looms closer, the world’s eyes will be on America and its voters.
Voting levels are arguably better in the US compared with the UK, showing a 70 per cent voter turnout between 2018 and 2022. In contrast, the 2024 UK General Election produced a high of 50.7 per cent, marking the lowest voter turnout at a general election since 2001. But despite America’s higher political engagement figures, many voters lose the chance to have their say because of the way different states handle the voting process. Since each state and county has its particular set of regulations that change between elections, voter confusion is not uncommon. And that’s just the tip of a much larger problem exposing gaps in the system.
Texas and Black Votes
A volunteer who registers voters in Texas knows it ‘is one of, if not the hardest states to vote in.’
Seventy years after ending racial segregation, issues persist with ‘voter intimidation, voter suppression and elected officials targeting Black and minority voters.’
Early voting has been an effective way to help voters cast their ballots and normally takes place 10-15 days before an election. However, in the state of Texas, bills were submitted to ‘prevent early voting before 1 pm on Sundays.’
It’s well-known that Black voters commonly vote together after church. Some feel this was a crafty but failed attempt to suppress Black votes.
Voting is Practically a Joke
Does the UK have similar problems with voter suppression?
Compared with the UK, US polls close early; usually by 7 or 8 pm. For those who don’t work a standard 9-to-5 pattern, the window for casting a ballot further diminishes.
Ironically, COVID-19 measures during the 2020 US Election resolved this logistical nightmare. Employees benefitted from 24-hour polling during early voting (Harris County, Texas) and drive-thru voting (several Texan Counties).
These provisions were especially used by Black and Latino voters, who disproportionately work less traditional hours. The Texas Senate has since removed these policies under the Senate Bill 1 law (or ‘SB1’). And so the familiar headache of accessing polls on a workday has returned for many non-White voters.
As well as working longer shifts and unconventional hours, non-White voters are also more likely to be underemployed. Involuntary part-time work affects Black and Hispanic workers more than their White counterparts. And since many states don’t mandate paid time out to vote, voting is a costly business for many workers. When every hour counts, losing an hour’s worth of wages at a time when employment is already scarce is a harsh reality for those in ‘slack work.’
Depending on the state, some US voters have the option of absentee voting if work and polling hours don’t align. This might seem ideal, but in practice proves to be highly impractical. Absentee voting requires pre-registration and foresight; something that more casual employees simply don’t have. It also carries extremely specific criteria. Should your workplace be within your registered county but far from the voting location — Sorry! No Absentee Voting in West Virginia, Tennessee, Indiana or Alabama.
Working non-traditional hours also disadvantages Black British voters. Zero-hours contracts have long frustrated employees, disproportionately affecting non-White workers. Working unpredictable hours means that free time cannot be guaranteed on polling day. That’s why one Black British voter has been ‘using a postal vote since 2007′ and encourages ‘everyone … to apply.’ But in some US states, securing a postal vote is far more difficult, making it another ‘means’ of voting that is widely inaccessible and only suppresses votes.
Registration Should be Automatic
In several EU member states, voter registration is a service afforded to the public. Citizens are automatically registered to vote. In the US and the UK, all responsibility lies with the voter, and this suppresses votes.
Our Texan volunteer sends postcards (without reimbursement!) to remind voters that they may need to re-register, and information on how to do it. You would assume such a crucial notice would be circulated more formally by the local government, not volunteers.
Failure to inform and communicate clearly creates confusion around voting status. Eligible voters who are unsure of their voting status may forgo their right to vote out of fear of punishment. In Texas, voting in error — because you assumed you were eligible — now carries a charge of second-degree felony; effectively a voting deterrent.
The UK has its own shortfalls when it comes to keeping voters informed. Since registration reminders are posted only once a year, frequent movers can easily fall through the gap. This notably disenfranchises ethnic minority voters, who are more affected by housing instability and tend to change addresses more often.
By not using the ‘EU model’ for voter registration, up to 8 million eligible UK voters remain unregistered. The results of this were evident over the summer. Despite the hype, the 2024 General Election produced one of the lowest voter turnouts in over two decades
On both sides of the Pond, those in authority are failing to make voting more transparent, convenient and egalitarian. Instead, voting is largely inconvenient, costly and unappealing, with exhausted and uninspired voters preferring to forgo their ballot rather than suffer the consequences.
Until this state of affairs changes, a volunteer in Texas has got her work cut out.
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