Title: Protecting the Freedom to Vote | Demos
Headings: Protecting the Freedom to Vote
Protecting the Freedom to Vote
The Voter Empowerment Act of 2012
Introduction

Content: 2 When these machinations lead to eligible voters being dropped from the rolls, or challenged, their right to vote can be denied on the basis of bureaucratic error or even malfeasance. Some otherwise eligible American citizens are barred from voting because of past crimes, even if they have completed their sentences and are otherwise restored to society. Voters continue to face underhanded attempts to keep them from the polls through tricks and deceptive practices, such as information being distributed calling on members of certain parties to vote on days after Election Day. The numbers tell the tale of how red tape can present barriers that keep people from voting. Approximately 131 million American citizens voted in the 2008 elections. 3 Over 146 million people were registered to vote in 2008, according to the US Census Current Population Survey. 4 So, the voting rate for people who were registered to vote was ninety percent, while the voting rate for citizens of voting age was only sixty-four percent. 5
Today, approximately 51 million eligible Americans are still not registered to vote, according to the Pew Center on the States. 6 This represents almost one in four citizens, disproportionately low-income voters, people of color, and younger Americans. 7 This suggests that a major focus for increasing citizen participation in elections should be to decrease the bureaucratic barriers to becoming registered to vote.