Systemic discrimination is preventing minorities from voting

Lack of translated voting materials has caused a decrease in minority voters' turnout

As the ethnic and racial minority populations in the United States grow, there is an increasing number of voices unaccounted for. State governments have too much leeway in executing the voting system, resulting in systemic discrimination preventing marginalized people from exercising their voting rights.

Voter ID laws require a person to show their photo identification in order to vote and deprive a sizable population of minorities of their voting rights. Obtaining an identification card costs money even if the identification card is free. Voters can incur numerous other costs such as paying for a birth certificate or travel expenses to their birthplace, which can be a significant burden, especially for people with disabilities, the elderly or those in rural areas without access to a car or public transportation to apply for a government-issued identification card. While those who support this law claim that it is to prevent voter fraud and ensure only eligible citizens can cast the ballot, in reality it reduces overall participation, as many Americans do not have one of the forms of identification needed to vote. These voters are disproportionately low-income, the elderly, people with disabilities, and racial and ethnic minorities.

Additionally, under this law, if an individual's name on their government-issued identification or their social security records does not exactly match their name on the voter registration form, their voter status is suspended. In the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election, African American candidate Stacey Abrams lost approximately 55,000 votes, and this “exact match” law played a large part.

The lack of translated voting materials has caused a decrease in minority voters' turnout. The technical wording of proposition measures can often make it challenging for minority language groups to understand and form opinions. This concept is known as “voter fall-off.” Voter turnout in communities that speak little English would increase if the material was available in their native language.

The location of the polling places is another issue. The assignment of polling stations is based on factors such as accessibility, location recognizability and the local population, which can be changed at the discretion of the officials. Often in minority communities, voter turnout tends to be lowered compared to whites as it is difficult for members of the minority community to find a polling station. The inequality in polling locations can change who will be elected and create new laws, and the minority population's political ideals are left unrepresented.

Historically, minority voters have been suppressed. Prior to 1915, many states used the “grandfather clause” to keep black voters, descendants of slaves, from voting. The clause stated that a person could only vote if their grandfather had voted, which made it impossible for most people whose ancestors were slaves. Though the Supreme Court overturned this clause in 1915, many black Americans still find it difficult to vote and face many barriers toward governmental representation in the South.

With the midterm approaching and the presidential election two years away, all of us should make an effort to vote. If you are a part of the minority population in the Bay Area, San Jose, Milpitas, Oakland, Palo Alto, etc., I strongly encourage you to participate in our democratic processes. Voting is fundamental to our country's democracy. It ensures that everyone's voice is heard and that our policy reflects the people's will at the local, state and federal levels.

If you want to make your voice count, end voter suppression, and elect officials to represent your political ideas, you must register and vote.

As Thomas Jefferson said, “We do not have government by the majority. We have a government by the majority who participate.”