GROUP TWO (2)
What Should the Right to Vote Mean in Practice?
Although adult Americans see themselves as having the right to vote, voting does not have the
same Constitutional status as, say, the right to free expression or the right to a fair trial. With
those rights, the government is obliged to take steps (for example, by providing legal counsel if
a defendant is too poor to hire one) to ensure that they are upheld in practice not just on paper.
Voting is different. State governments have been granted wide leeway in controlling access to
the ballot—for example, by setting/determining registration periods, polling place hours, and
identification requirements. Some states have even enacted policies aimed at making voting
harder for some, rather than easier. Which groups do these policies most often impact, and are
they potentially discriminatory? Which approach to voting rights the best one and should the
government be obligated to take positive steps to ensure that every citizen who wants to vote
is able to do so? Why?
FOR POSITION: Support ensuring every citizen the ability to vote.
AGAINST POSITION: Support restricting a citizen’s right to vote.
Group 2 Essay DUE No later than MONDAY 8 February 2021 before 2359 or 11:59 p.m.
CT
What Should the Right to Vote Mean in Practice?
