You would think that everyone in a democracy, whatever their various political perspectives, would agree that free, unfettered access to the ballot box is a fundamental right, and that we can all unite on that. Incredibly lots of political operatives and machine politicians spend huge amounts of time and money suppressing the vote—making registration tough or impossible, disenfranchising citizens with a criminal record, sending around false information about polling places, and more. This is why the electorate has always looked remarkably different from the citizenry, why presidential elections in particular are decided by a minority, and it’s why the voting booth has been a site of struggle for over 200 years.
A robust and participatory democracy would mean that every citizen could find a good reason to vote and would be assured that exercising the vote, a fundamental human and civil right, is an open and easy process which is visible and accessible. Every vote would count and every citizen could vote. Access to the ballot has been a long and hard-fought process, but full enfranchisement and unimpaired access is still far from a reality.
Full enfranchisement includes allowing former and current inmates to cast their ballots in local, state, and federal elections. Other countries do this. Incarcerated persons are still citizens; half a million incarcerated people are released each year, and they have a stake in the political process. Easy same day registration means that even demanding work schedules and family responsibilities will not impede access to the ballot. Campaign finance reform and public funding of political campaigns would allow someone who is not a millionaire to run for public office, and would blunt the influence of rich benefactors. The Electoral College is a living legacy of slavery and must be overturned in favor of a National Popular Vote. And instant run-off voting, in which voters rank their choices and it takes a majority rather than a plurality to win, can begin to break the strangle-hold of big party machines.
These changes would be baby steps toward making every vote count.
Bill Ayers 
Here, here! It is an excellent idea to allow and make it possible for all citizens to vote and have their vote properly counted. Yet, many Republicans pay lip service to democracy because winning is more important to them than democracy.
If the socialists would realize that they are the problem with voter fraud and plotting the destruction of America. They as a group feel they are doing no wrong. If America didn’t exist then the stability of the world would be a bigger problem. More killings and slavery would still exist today. Socialists are blind to that fact in their headlong run at controlling everyone. As individuals they cannot even control them selves let alone others.
Yeah, that would be great if it were not the fact that your chosen one is using it to pad his votes when no one has a clue who he is. Given ACORN and your backing, I don’t trust any of those early votes.
So how much did you Dad influence getting Obama into a few positions such as the same law office where your wife worked?
Do you really think that by not answering questions you are helping yourself or Obama?
Your dad did a great thing for you by getting you and Bernadine off but I really wonder if he intended that you would continue to use his name to do so many despicable things. Or maybe that is just what your family does.
Oh, forgot to mention that you brought up the popular vote. Hillary won. Obama and the DNC played politics to make it look like she didn’t. So why are you not complaining about that?
Why do you now suddenly care about the number of votes when it is clear that ACORN and other organizations have infiltrated the voting process thanks to your candidate. Now people are feeling free to vote several times. Good old Chicago politics.
Do you have any ideas that do not corrupt the belief in one person, one vote?
That is something I would really like to hear about.
Campaign finance reform and public funding of political campaigns would allow someone who is not a millionaire to run for public office, and would blunt the influence of rich benefactors.
TRUE….then why didn’t Obama becom an “agent of change” and take public funding??
Your opinions scare me…. Why is it difficult to register to vote? I registered when I was 18, in high school. It was simple and easy. If you want to take part in an election you make the time to register and you make the time to VOTE; it is that simple.
“….every citizen could find a good reason to vote….” If they/you do not want to vote I do not need to provide you a reason that is your choice, your freedom.
Hey above commenters: Can’t you see that he is being CRITICAL of Obama (and McCain) and their funding practices?
I’m not even sure he supports Obama – however, just because something is political, it instantly must be partisan, right?
READ. Listen to what he is saying. It is so much closer to “One Person. One Vote” than the current system. How is it corrupting it to say that EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE.
Rachel,
That view is simplistic. There are many reasons why people don’t register to vote or end up not being included on voter rolls. Such as moving or changing jobs from one state to another. I recently moved from Washington (15 day requirement) to Mississippi (30 day requirement) and went to the registrars office to register. I received my card a few days later in the mail. My wife sent her form in via mail 2 weeks prior to the deadline. The election is Tuesday and she has not received a voter registration card. She may be one of those being challenged by Mississippi’s governor. Why? She has never committed a crime and has been a registered voter since her 18th birthday.
Whether we vote or not is up to us. But Mr. Ayers is right, if elections presented us with good choices then more of us would find a reason to vote. When the choices are between Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, who cares?
How do you balance the belief that “free, unfettered access to the ballot box is a fundamental right” (and I agree) with the need to ensure that each person’s vote remains private and that each person votes just once.
You must agree that we have too many loopholes and vulnerabilities. In many states people that are deceased are on the rolls 20 years later, and many states are not checking their own database for duplicates let alone state-to-state sharing. The palestra.net college students have exposed some vulnerabilities.
But what do we do?
How do you suggest we achieve this balance of access, privacy, and integrity.
A national database is scary – too easily manipulated, perhaps a standardized database schema with each state maintaining their records…and having all be cross-referenced electronically for a final check.