D5: Voter Turnout

1. Ways the Government has made it difficult to vote and reforms that could make it easier to vote.
• One way that government has made voting difficult is the stringent requirements for absentee ballots. One of the difficult requirements for absentee ballots is to register in person in your state. The point of absentee ballots is that you can't really show up in your state, or have a difficult time leaving your house to get to the polls. To make it easier for absentee ballots, people should be able to send their proof of residency in a state (i.e. An utilities bill, etc) and a proof or reason why they cannot make it to the polls.(Student ID copy, disability papers)
• Difficulty of registration is another reason voter turnout is so low. Even though it is the individual's responsibility to register, the government should put more emphasis on how important it is to go out and vote. From my experience, the government does not really push for its citizens to vote.
• Political parties can also stress the importance of voting and choosing who you want in office. Big parties such as the Democratic and Republican parties leave their support up to the individual states, which sometimes may not be for the best.