Voting

Voting is a method by which groups of people make decisions. Voting is the most important right any citizen holds. Voting allows the majority opinion to preside over a country or elected official (World Book). Also, voting is the way for people to have a voice or elect a voice in their government.

In the United States, the citizens are given the right to vote as soon as they turn the age of eighteen (World Book). In many countries, people vote to choose their leaders and to decide public issues. People also vote to make decisions in such groups as juries, labor unions, corporations, and social clubs. However, nations that do not have a democratic form of government usually do not allow their citizens any real choice in voting. In a number of these countries, people may vote, but only for candidates named by the country's leadership (World Book). In this case, a country's leadership already chooses the majority opinion.

Citizens of democratic countries consider voting one of their chief rights because it allows them to choose who will govern them (World Book). In almost all of these countries, most candidates seek office as members of a political party. In the United States, there are two main parties, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Also, in the USA, there are many independent parties such as the Green Party (Rasmussen Reports). Voters may elect their public officials either directly or indirectly. In direct elections, the citizens themselves vote for the officials. In indirect elections, the voters elect representatives, who then choose the officials (World Book). At the University of South Florida, students elect or reelect a president and vice president to serve in student government. Then the president and vice president elect the Executive Branch (USF Handbook).

In democracies, people vote on many issues besides elections for public officials (World Book). For example, they may vote on whether to build a school, expand the police force, or impose a tax. In some governments, voters may approve or reject proposed laws through elections called referendums. A recall election allows the voters to remove elected officials from office before the end of their term. At USF, the Student Government takes care of the issues concerning the students. For example, the USF Student Government is in charge of the Safe Team and On Campus housing. Students who live on campus are asked to vote on rules and regulations affecting their dorm (USF Handbook).

Since the 1800's, democratic nations have extended the right to vote, also known as suffrage, to many people (World Book). The Constitution of the United States has been amended several times for this purpose. The 15th Amendment, adopted in 1870, stated no man should be denied the right to vote because of the color of his skin. However, many southern states established "grandfather clauses" denying black men the right to vote. In 1920, the 19th amendment was passed prohibiting the denial of the right to vote because of a person's gender. Women's rights activists took on the challenge of demanding their right to vote during the time of WWI, when America's president was forced to concentrate more on the war in Europe then the war at home being fought by American women (World Book). The 23rd Amendment, ratified in 1961, gave citizens living in Washington, D.C., the right to vote in national elections. In 1971, the 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18 for all state and national elections. Before then, only 10 states had allowed citizens under age 21 to vote. These amendments show that people were willing to fight until they were given their right to vote. By lowering the age from 21 to 18, more Americans were given a voice in their government. College organizations, such as the College Republicans (usually 18-20 year old students), take this amendment to heart when they spend hours upon hours canvassing the USF campus registering new voters.

Registration is the important process by which a person's name is added to the list of qualified voters (World Book). On Election Day in most states, officials check each person's name against the list before they let the person vote. In the United States, voters may register in person, or, in some states, by mail. Many states close registration 30 days before each election. In most states, voters remain permanently registered unless they move. To vote in a primary election, voters in some states must register as members of a political party. In 1993, Congress passed a law requiring most states to allow registration by mail for federal elections and to provide a voter registration form with each application for a driver's license. The law also requires states to provide for federal voter registration at welfare offices and military recruiting offices. Most states allow voters to register for state and local elections by any of these methods as well. The 1993 law prohibits states from removing people from the rolls for failure to vote. The law applies to all states except Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. North Dakota does not require voter registration. The other five states have adopted laws to allow voters to register at the polls on election day (World Book). During the Election of 2004, College Republicans were not just focused on convincing people to reelect Bush; they were also dedicated to getting people involved in the election by registering them to vote. Many young politicians understand involvement is the key issue. If people want to convince an individual to vote for a specific candidate or law, they need registered voters to convince.

In the United States, each county, township, or ward of a state is divided into voting districts called precincts. Citizens may vote only at the polling place in the precinct in which they live. However, Citizen now have the choice to vote over the Internet or they may fill out and absentee ballet casting their vote before Election Day (Opus). Election officials at the polling places certify voters and tabulate the votes after the polls close.

Beginning in 1962, the Supreme Court made a series of decisions concerning redistricting--that is, the redrawing of the boundaries of districts from which representatives are elected. The court has held that congressional districts--as well as state districts for the election of local, municipal, and state representatives--must be approximately equal in population. These rulings were designed to ensure that each vote would have equal power in the election process (World Book). Each person, either as a student at a campus like USF or a citizen in a country, has one vote. Voters have one chance to provide their opinion in a decision that may affect their entire lives. If people do not vote then the majority opinion is lowered