Question

What are the greatest strengths and greatest weaknesses of political elections?

What kind of change would you make in order to increase voters turnout in Texas? (make a minimum of two proposed changes. be very specific about proposed changes and provide explanation as to why and how your proposed changes will work.

Answer 1

Political parties have unified groups of people and helped them seek and achieve common goals. They have a tradition of participation in democratic government that is two centuries old. Political parties have not, however, stemmed the decline in the number of people who vote. Many people view the primary elections as elimination contests that have little to do with political parties. TV ads and money from political action committees (PACs) seem to do more to persuade voters than the efforts of political parties.

Political parties today better reflect American society than they did a generation ago. Men and women from all ethnic and religious groups and from all walks of life participate in party caucuses and conventions. The primary system, whatever its defects, offers far more choices to voters than did the old party machines. This openness shows that political parties have had the strength and flexibility to adapt to changing times.

Even in the frenzied atmosphere here, where people understandably want to know who their next president will be, and much depends on the outcome, no one is even thinking about extra-constitutional actions, let alone the use of military force. We may now take this for granted, but how many political systems around outside of north America and western Europe could confront the situation America faces now without any serious worry that either side will resort to fraud or force to influence the outcome?

The proliferation of legal challenges, each followed inevitably by an appeal, is not pretty, but this is an Etat de droit in action, and it is a lot better than any of the arbitrary alternatives. When all is said and done—probably this weekend, but quite possibly later than that—America will know its next president. And despite all the complications, and the attempts of partisans on both sides to suggest that the other side is acting inappropriately, when all is said in down the vast majority (nearly 80% according to opinion polls) will accord him the legitimacy he is due.

Obviously, this is far from the election result anyone wanted, and the new President will have to make an extraordinary effort to build support from such a divided electorate and Congress. But the true test of a democracy comes not when things go well, but when they go badly. What we are witnessing now is a sign not of the weakness of American democracy, but of its strength.

It’s simple; we can learn from other states that enjoy higher turnouts for presidential, midterm and local elections.

States have the authority to determine their own laws to enhance voter participation. Texas continues to pass laws that depress voter participation, while rejecting ones that enhance voter participation.

Structural barriers, lack of political will and the violation of the Voting Rights Act all serve to dilute the voting power of minority voters.

In Texas, it used to be that an approval for any changes or actions having to do with voting — including redistricting, implementing the voter ID law and eliminating or moving polling sites from Latino and African-American centers — had to be granted by the Department of Justice. As it stands, the Supreme Court last year declared the preclearance formula unconstitutional in Shelby County vs. Holder .

Congress can ensure that Texas continues to require preclearance by the Department of Justice if it reinstates Texas and other jurisdictions as part of Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act to protect voters from any violations of their voting rights.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled recently that Texas’ voter ID law disproportionately impacts minority voters. This ruling is welcome.

Texas’ voter participation during general presidential elections ranks far behind states in which investment is high to turn out voters. For example, Colorado’s 2012 turnout performance ranked sixth in the nation.

In the 2014 midterm elections, Texas voter turnout was a pathetic 34 percent, far lower than other “superstates” such as New York, California and Florida.

Texas registered voters do not go to the polls at the same levels as those who reside in states that have made it easier to register to vote and cast a ballot.

For example, California voters have the option of voting by mail for every election regardless of their age and whether they are traveling during the election phase. Last year, Colorado for the first time in its history allowed voters to register up to and on election day.

The 2014 elections had the worst turnout performance of most states. Voters simply stayed home, except in states such as Colorado. Moreover, Colorado voter registration numbers increased compared to Texas, which lost voters who moved and did not re-register.

California recently passed a law to allow voters to take legal action to move their local elections to coincide with midterm and presidential general elections if turnout is 25 percent below an even-year average.

For more than 40 years, the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project has worked to eliminate the barriers that prohibit voters from exercising their right to vote. To date, SVREP has challenged at-large systems and won 85 voting rights lawsuits.

We continue to make recommendations to the Legislature in every cycle to improve voter registration and the states’ turnout performance.

Extend the early vote phase to two weeks, with two Saturdays and Sundays, and until 9 p.m. Secure voting sites at community college campuses, particularly in Latino and African-American communities.

Enforce Texas Election Code 13.046, which provides for school principals to register students twice a year — with a fine for noncompliance.

Allow for voter registration to take place on election day.

Drop the volunteer registrar requirement to deputize. States such as California and New York do not require volunteers to be deputized. Or, at the very least, provide an opportunity for people to take the deputization class online.

Allow voter registration online or by mail without restriction.

A healthy democracy is one in which its citizenry exercises its vote.

Texas can be the leader in voter participation rather than rank among the lowest-performing states. We simply must improve voter participation.