The enacted voting law changes in 2012 are intended to deter the minority vote and will significantly affect the minority voters in the U.S. The changes in the voting law will require voters to possess identification requirements and will create more problems to the minority group since most of them will be ineligible to vote.
Most states have enacted the changes that have made it difficult for citizens to register as voters. The changes in the voting laws target the minority group, blacks, students, and the older people since most of them have do not have the government issued ID’s and photo identification (Jonel 2006).
Those who support the implementation of the changes in the voting law argue that voter fraud will be prevented. However the causes of fraudulent acts in the voting process is very rare. This has led to questions regarding authenticity of the changes made in the voting law.
The rights of voters and voting fraud have become an increasingly debatable issue, but the process had been supported by the Republicans. The Republicans imposed these new restrictions on voter registration to bar the minority group.
According to the views of the Republicans, the new rules are intended to boost a practical way to prevent frauds and to enhance the integrity of the voting process, but the Democrats argue that the changes have little to do with preventing fraud, but are intended to create obstacles to their supporters including the minority groups and the older people (Jonel 2006).
These changes are intended to prevent the massive turnout of the minority voters who supported President Obama to achieve victory during the 2008 presidential elections. Hence, the changes are aimed at reducing the numbers of the minority group and to increase the numbers of the republican supporters. The decision of the Justice Department brought the administration of the Obama into hostile criticism on the new wave of voting restrictions.
The changes are mostly supported by the Republicans in the pretext of curbing fraud in the ballot box. Initially, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was implemented to prohibit discrimination to any person due to the previous conditions of slavery, race, and color, from participating in the voting process (Jonel 2006).
During the 19th century most legislators held a belief that the law would protect the minority group from discrimination during the voting process.
The requirements of the new law, such as, proof of citizenship by presenting photo identification are an obvious restriction because it will cause millions of the minority voters to become ineligible to vote (Brennan Center for Justice, n.d). The policy that requires voters to show proof of citizenship is a substantial setback to the voting rights of the minority.
The Voting Right Act of 1965 has been a success for many decades in the U.S. The presidential elections of 2012 should be even easier for citizens to take part in the voting process. The partisans should consider avoiding the changes in the fair electoral playing ground. They should avoid making unnecessary amendments to the voting laws in order to restrict the minority from exercising their freedom.
The impact of the enacted voting law changes will profoundly affect the 2012 presidential election results. Most states have already implemented the changes that will limit the voting rights of the minority group. Some states have enacted the bills that require citizens to provide photo ID’s, but more than 11% of the U.S citizens do not possess the government issued photos (Randon 2009).
Furthermore, other states have also introduced the bills requiring voters to identify themselves as U.S. citizens in order to be eligible to register as voters.
The whole issue is related to the past events of the organized voter suppression efforts by the Republicans that targeted the minority group. This strategy is intended to target the minority voters, and it seems as a violation to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (Randon 2009). The Republicans have been working extraordinarily hard to suppress the minority voters for many decades.
Currently the U.S should count on moral outrage, but it is surprising that the Democrats do not practice the vice because it seems as if the Democrats believe that the Republicans have a patent on it that they use to make up on issues such as war on religion and Obama’s native origin.
Therefore, the U.S. can only be successful if all people get a fair share and are treated equally in all matters that affect the U.S. However, when it comes to voting rights the Republicans do not believe that the minority should be treated equally. Thus, the changes in voting law in 2012 will significantly affect the minority vote since they will be denied their rights to vote.
It is true that the Republicans view the minority groups as an obstacle to their victory in the 2012 presidential elections. Therefore, they are working hard to implement the changes in the voting laws to make them achieve victory in the forthcoming 2012 presidential elections.
Bibliography
Brennan Center for Justice. N.d. Web.
JoNel, Newman, ( 2006). Unfinished Business: the Case for Continuing Special Voting Rights Act Coverage in Florida. University of Miami Law Review 61.1: 52.
Randon, H., M., (2009). What We Know about Voter-ID Laws, Registration, and Turnout. PS: Political Science & Politics 42: 87–91.