To increase voter participation and expand voting opportunities for eligible voters, states have a number of tools available, including those detailed in this report. As this report shows, obstacles to voting and distrust in government have repercussions for representational democracy, leading to participation gaps across demographics as well as elected bodies that are unrepresentative of the broader population of American citizens. This report examines the problem of low voter participation in America, which includes structural barriers that keep Americans from having their voices heard as well as widespread disillusionment with the political process. 9 In one instance, recognizing the important issues at stake in the November 2017 elections-from immigration reform to health care to civil rights-voters in Virginia exercised their power over government at higher rates than in past gubernatorial elections: 47.6 percent in 2017, compared with 43 percent in 2013. 8 Voters have also used their power to diversify government bodies and make them more reflective of the broader population, for example, by electing LGBTQ candidates and people of color. 7 Krasner is a vocal critic of mass incarceration, racial bias, and corruption within the criminal justice system and recently ended cash bail requirements for low-level offenders. For example, in November 2017, Philadelphia voters translated their desire for criminal justice reform by electing Larry Krasner as the city’s new district attorney with 74 percent of the votes. When people exercise their power as voters, they can elect local, state, and national leaders who are responsive to and reflective of the communities they serve. Supreme Court, keep countless eligible Americans from voting each election cycle. Voter suppression tools, including improper voter purges such as those recently upheld by the U.S. Nationwide, roughly 6 million American citizens are barred from having their voices heard because of antiquated and discriminatory ex-offender disenfranchisement laws. This may be because of unnecessary barriers in the voter registration and voting process that prevent would-be voters from casting ballots or because potential voters feel alienated from government. 3 And yet, millions of eligible voters are missing from America’s political decision-making process. In a 2018 Pew Research Center survey, 74 percent of respondents ranked election participation as a very important determinant of good citizenship-above paying taxes and following the law. The American people recognize the importance of voting in our democracy. Our collective self-rule is established and fostered through free, fair, accessible, and secure elections through which the voice of every eligible American is heard. 2 For the nation’s democracy to function properly and for government to provide fair representation, all eligible Americans must have the opportunity to vote-and be encouraged to do so. 1 In the 2014 midterm elections, an estimated 143 million eligible Americans failed to vote, marking the lowest voter participation in 72 years. Almost 92 million eligible Americans did not vote in the 2016 presidential elections.
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