I really enjoyed reading The Embattled Vote in America by Allan Lichtman (Harvard University Press, 2018). It began with an examination of the Constitution and how it does not guarantee the right to vote to any particular people. The book continued by discussing the different ways voting has changed through the years of of the existence of the American republic.
In the beginning, the right to vote was defined by each individual territory, mostly by a white man that has some property or otherwise some kind of status. Further chapters are dedicated to the Black vote and the ways it was lost during Reconstruction for many reasons, as well as how women finally achieved their goal of getting the vote. (I was surprised to hear that the women’s argument for the right to vote was actually a racist one, such as “If Black men can vote, so should we.”)
I greatly enjoyed the chapters about the Voting Rights Act and also the examination of how voting is severely restricted in many parts of the United States today due to strict ID laws. It is very clear to me how these laws affect minority populations as a result. A lot of the laws are enacted by Republicans who know that minorities will have harder time getting the necessary identification in order to register for the vote. Drawing unfair boundaries and removing polling places likewise is defended because the party in power makes the rules.That sounds accusatory, but it is actually done for political purposes. Lichtman quoted a Republican leader, Greg Abbot, who said as much. To paraphrase, he said that since they were a Republican state legislature, they were welcome to do things that would better affect the Republican party, and he knew that redistricting would disproportionately affect likely minorities, who are more likely to be Democratic voters.
Reading The Embattled Right to Vote actually made me angry. I finished reading sincerely wishing I could do something to help all adults over the age of 18 have the right to vote in the USA using the same criteria and format every. I wish that calling my congressman would make a difference in bringing the issues to the forefront. The ease of voting should not be different based on where we live. I am in favor of enshrining voting rights in the Constitution via Amendment.
