Framing Statement

Who should have the right to vote? While the question may sound simple, the answer may be more complex than you expect once you dive into the details. Voting laws differ state by state and as a result, so does who has the ability to exercise the right to vote. The purpose of this toolkit is to provide information on how varying state laws impact who can and cannot vote as well as the implications of these variations. The toolkit will also provide prompts for dialogue on these issues that focus on social justice and political action. We hope that the discussion prompts will inform the audience, probe reflection, and facilitate analytic thought about voting rights and voter suppression.

To begin, we will turn to resources that broadly explore who has historically and currently has the right to vote:

Multimedia:

Whose Vote Counts, Explained | Full Episode | Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio | Netflix

Text:

Who Can and Can't Vote in US Elections

Early voting in 2020 is crucial. Many can do it by mail or in person. Here's how.

Right to Vote Amendment

Questions & Prompts:

Do you consider voting to be a privilege, right, or duty? Why?
Have you made a plan to vote in this election? If so, what is your plan? If not, why not?
Should voting laws be left to the states to the extent that they are now or should they be determined at the federal level?

Now we will take a deep dive into several topics that influence who has the right to vote. This toolkit covers the following topics:

Felony Disenfranchisement - Some states prevent those who have been convicted of a felony from voting while some allow those currently incarcerated to vote.
Barriers to Voting and Disenfranchisement of Individuals with Disabilities - Many states create barriers to voting for Individuals with disabilities and some completely eliminate their ability to vote.
Lowering the Voting Age - Some states have lowered the voting age to 16 years old for local and state elections.
Non-citizen Voting - Some states allow local governments to grant non-citizens the right to vote in local and state elections.

These topics further the mission of the Democracy & Debate Theme Semester by facilitating dialogue about the complex issue of marginalized groups not being full participants in our democratic society. We encourage you to share these resources and explore arguments and viewpoints that differ from your own.

Felony Disenfranchisement:

Multimedia:

Florida's disenfranchised: voices of the 1.7 million not allowed to vote | US elections 2016

Could Ex-Felon Voting Rights Swing Florida In 2020?

In Florida, path to restoring felons' voting rights has been fraught with challenge

Why Virginia's Restoration of Voting Rights Matters

Text:

Felony Disenfranchisement Laws (Map)

The state of ex-felons’ voting rights, explained

Felon Voting Rights

The 'Slave Power' Behind Florida's Felon Disenfranchisement

Two activists on fighting for ex-felon voting rights in Florida

How to Vote From Jail

When Prisoners Demand Voting Rights

Voting in Jails

Questions & Prompts:

Should individuals convicted of a felony lose their right to vote? How about those convicted of a misdemeanor? Once taken away, should it ever be restored? If so, under what conditions?
Should individuals currently incarcerated have the right to vote? Should there be limits on the offices and proposals that they can vote on? Why or why not?
Discuss the concept of “civil death” and the notion that felony disenfranchisement laws are rooted in racism.

Barriers to Voting and Disenfranchisement of Individuals with Disabilities:

Multimedia:

Why Americans with disabilities struggle to vote

Text:

Americans with disabilities struggle to exercise a right that most take for granted — voting

The Americans with Disabilities Act and Other Federal Laws Protecting the Rights of Voters with Disabilities

How Voters With Disabilities Are Blocked From the Ballot Box

‘A Failed System’: What It’s Like to Vote With a Disability During a Pandemic

Voting | Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Thousands Lose Right to Vote Under 'Incompetence' Laws

Keeping the 'Mentally Incompetent' From Voting

Questions & Prompts:

Should accommodations be made available to support individuals with disabilities with voting? If so, what kinds of accommodations? If not, why not?
Do you believe that a disability should preclude someone from voting? Why or why not? If so, who should be responsible for making that determination and what factors should be considered?
What impact do you believe the disenfranchisement of individuals with disabilities has on our government and politics?

Lowering the Voting Age:

Multimedia:

Why the Voting Age Should Be Lower Than 18 | NowThis

These 16-Year-Olds Are Campaigning for the Right to Vote | Eighteen x 18 | NowThis

Change the Voting Age to 16 | Camille King | TEDxHarwoodUnionHighSchool

Text:

Lower the Voting Age for Local Elections

The case for letting children vote

The case for allowing 16-year-olds to vote

Why We Should Lower the Voting Age to 16

Young people have a stake in our future. Let them vote.

16-Year-Olds Want a Vote. Fifty Years Ago, So Did 18-Year-Olds. (Published 2019)

A major American city may soon allow 16-year-olds to vote — and others could follow suit

Questions & Prompts:

Should young people have the right to vote? Or should the right remain exclusive for adults?
What factors should be considered in determining the voting age?
What do you believe the voting age should be? Should it be lowered or raised? If so, how low or how high?

Non-citizen Voting:

Multimedia:

Non-Citizens Given Right To Vote In San Francisco School Board Elections

Non-citizen voting debate

Text:

The Curious History of Non-Citizen Voting

Spring 2019 Journal: Noncitizen Voting Rights in the United States

Opinion | Noncitizens are gaining the right to vote. Good.

Voting by Nonresidents

Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Questions & Prompts:

Do you believe that non-citizens should have the right to vote? Why or why not? Should the right be restricted to certain elections?
Do you believe that giving non-citizens the right to vote diminishes the value of citizenship? Why or why not?
What does “citizenship” truly mean to you? Should there be consequences for those that do not conform to upholding its meaning?