Protect the vote!

In 1870, as the country was recovering from the ravages of civil war, the American people ratified the15th Amendment, guaranteeing the rights of all men to vote regardless of ethnicity or previous condition of servitude. In 1920, the vote was finally extended to the women of the United States, and thus all mature American citizens were theoretically included in the decision-making processes of their country. After the passing of these Amendments, the 15th in particular, individuals who wanted to stifle the minority voice in the voting process enacted practices, such as literacy tests and poll taxes, that could curb the number of minority voters. This discrimination was most evident in the Jim Crow laws prevalent throughout the South until 1965. Only after the 24th Amendment and Voting Rights Act were passed did we right these wrongs.\nThough this ancient history may seem irrelevant, the issue of voting regulations has come up again because of the requirement of state-issued photo IDs to vote in Indiana and other states in response to voter fraud and the unlawful participation of illegal immigrants in the American electoral process. On its face, requiring a state-issued photo ID, especially when it is without financial cost to the citizen, seems like a just response to the problem of voter fraud. Nevertheless, a group from Indiana has taken the state all the way to the Supreme Court, claiming this requirement is unconstitutional. This voice of dissent in the case claims that the Indiana system of state-issued IDs systematically targets the economically depressed, citing issues of transportation to license branches as an unfair burden on the poor.\nIt is the opinion of the Editorial Board that voter fraud is a compelling problem in an imperfect system. Though we may question the constitutionality of the voter ID law, if Indiana wishes to enforce this system, the process must be made significantly easier. Otherwise, it will present an obstacle to equality at the ballot box.\nAnyone who has lost his or her driver’s license in Bloomington knows what a hassle it is to get all the way out to the Monroe County Bureau of Motor Vehicles, even if one has a car. To imagine a person without a car going all that way to ensure the right to vote, when he or she may not even need a driver’s license, is absolutely absurd. The dangers of Highway 37 negate the possibility of getting there by foot. So, does one take a taxi? Rely on the bus system? All those options require money. Plus, once you get there, be ready to dig up required birth certificates and magical talismans while settling in for a long wait. To alleviate this disparity and uphold constitutionality, the government must equalize the issue of transportation and convenience. By providing free shuttle service for rural and economically depressed communities, opening more license branches and making state IDs obtainable at other government offices besides the BMV, the government can uphold its duty of equal protection while preventing voter fraud.