Increasing Voting Equity

In countries where participatory elections exist in principle, true civic engagement in democratic institutions often remains far from egalitarian and accessible. Certain societal groups continue to be underrepresented by the electoral process, a result of various exclusionary, systematic variables. These factors include transportation costs required to travel to polling locations, the inability to miss work to vote, and rigid voting ID laws and registration guidelines, making it difficult to secure voter eligibility.

These limitations have been detrimental to the legitimacy of democracy. When certain groups face barriers to participation in their institutions, we cannot claim those institutions constitute a fair system. To facilitate equitable participation in elections and break down the existing imbalance of power between citizens of varying socio-economic standing, three main election-focused policies should be implemented:

1. A nationally recognized Election Weekend Celebration from Friday to Sunday, requiring employers to grant workers time off to cast ballots. Permitted absence from work will increase voting feasibility for all citizens, especially those who work hourly-waged labor and/or live paycheck to paycheck. Moreover, defining this weekend as a “celebration” will foster community, break down stigmas around voting, and encourage active engagement in democracy beyond the electoral process.
2. Varying methods of pre-election registration for citizens: examples of these programs include same-day voting, automatic voter registration, and voter registration drives targeted at marginalized communities. Expanding opportunities for registration will expand the number of qualified voters and will, in turn, increase voting equity and facilitate inclusive democratic institutions.
3. Free public facilities for Election Weekend Celebrations: this includes publicly funded drinking water, restrooms, public transportation, and other essential resources that work to ensure a fair, accessible ballot-casting process. Long wait times without water, expensive bus fares, and more have put significant strain on groups attempting to have their voices represented.

Free public facilities will combat these obstacles and set the precedent that the government wants you to engage in the state’s democratic systems.

Several countries have implemented portions of these policies, yet the exclusion of one aspect of our proposed measures prevents a comprehensive solution from being reached. By introducing these structural adjustments, voter representation will be expanded to include consistently excluded social groups, ultimately mitigating the domestic power imbalances caused by citizens’ differing abilities to receive representation in government.