For most of us, any civics education we’ve had is barely visible in the rear view mirror. Yet we still need to participate, to work with others, to fight for what we believe, etc.
Elections have been getting more secure over the years, but there have been lots of attacks on them recently. What do you wish you knew about how elections are run, about barriers to voting, about election fraud?
If you don’t have questions about elections, any questions about how Congress works? About the Constitution?
I don’t have all the answers … but I’ll find them for you. Just let me know what’s on your mind!
5 Responses
Has there ever been discussion about making voting mandatory in the US. Some countries do and if you don’t vote you are fined. Do you know of any discussion about that?
I read this book last year: 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting, by EJ Dionne and Miles Rapoport.
Very interesting book! Looks at how this might work in the US. Australia requires that its citizens vote, but one of the options always on the ballot is “None of the above.” 91% of Australians voted in their last major election.“Australia holds elections on Saturdays, hosts voting-day parties, and actively celebrates this key civic duty.”
I’ve never understood why we vote on a Tuesday which is a working day. Let’s to it on a weekend and make a party of it and have mandatory voting. I like this idea. Think it will work?
I didn’t know why we vote on Tuesdays, so did some research and found a great NPR article about that day being set by law in 1845. The best day for men who owned property (the only ones able to vote in 1845) was Tuesday, and it had to be the second Tuesday because Nov. 1 was a holiday.
Love the idea of a voting weekend, but Republicans want fewer people to vote, not more. Sigh.
https://www.npr.org/2016/11/01/500208500/why-do-we-vote-on-tuesdays
Catherine
Thank you for delving into the workings of our democracy. I find your posts educational and helpful in better understanding it all. Keep up the good work.