Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont submitted the legislation, named the Inclusive Democracy Act, on Tuesday which would guarantee the right to vote in federal elections for all citizens regardless of their criminal record.
In a statement, Pressley said the legislation was necessary due to policies and court rulings that “continue to disenfranchise voters from all walks of life — including by gutting the Voting Rights Act, gerrymandering, cuts to early voting, and more.” Welch called the bill necessary due to “antiquated state felony disenfranchisement laws.”
In late 2022, approximately 4.6 million people were unable to vote due to a felony conviction, according to a study by the Sentencing Project, a nonpartisan research group. The same study found that Black and Hispanic citizens are disproportionately likely to be disenfranchised due to felony
They don’t consistently receive mail and are often on drugs. Fines for not voting are absurd.
Do you think that’s how it works in Australia, where voting is compulsory? Or do you think they’ve found ways to accommodate for that?
I’d hope they accommodate for it. I don’t trust the US government to not fuck it up.
Personally I hate the concept of compulsory almost anything. If you have a right to vote you have a right to protest elections as well.
Compulsory voting doesn’t mean you literally have to vote for something. You can cast a blank ballot in protest. Sales tax is compulsory. Gas tax is compulsory. There are lots of things that are already compulsory.