Perhaps the greatest of our American privileges is our right
to take part in the democratic process of electing our nation’s leaders. The
voting process is the heart and soul of our democratic nation and without it we
could not honestly consider ourselves a land of the free. To vote, one must be
a registered voter. This requires that you are at least eighteen years of age
and a citizen of the United States with a valid home address. Voting day
requirements may vary slightly state to state; however, you usually need your
voter’s registration card and a valid picture ID such as a driver’s license.
Voters are usually given a voting location based on their place of residence;
mine, for example, is at the community center of an old people’s community up
the street. Upcoming elections in my area include: the Presidential Primaries
on August 14th, 2012, as well as the General Election on November 6th,
2012.
Every U.S. citizen who is of age should participate in the
voting process. It is the essence of our democratic system and exercising this
right is one of the primary ways for folks to have a say in the moderation of
their nation.
1. How does the product you
created encourage citizens to vote?
My product illustrates
the privilege we possess in having the ability to elect our leaders. I hope
that this product motivates its audience to take part in deciding who runs
their nation locally and federally.
2. What obstacles to voting
exist in your community?
I live in Florida where
many people have lost faith in the legitimacy of the voting system due to past
miscounts in presidential elections. I know a lot of people who just do not
vote anymore because they think their vote will either be misread or manipulated.
3. Would you recommend any
changes in the voter registration procedures you researched? If so, what would
you recommend?
No, I think that voter
registration has become more widely accessible with the internet; however, I
would like to change the laws Republicans in my state have put into action that
make it illegal for teachers to hand out voter registration forms to their
students and help register their of-age students.
4. Based on your research,
what do you think should be done to increase voter registration in the United
States?
I don’t think that you
can really make somebody register to vote; they will either want to vote or not
want to vote. The most you can do is
educate them about the democratic process and hope that they will see how important
it is for them to take part.
