IU recently held its Indiana University Student Government elections. As a first-time voter in those elections, I appreciated how many options I had to choose from and how easy it was to vote. With the 2024 presidential election on the horizon, it’s important to discuss how voting can be easier and more reflective of our values. It is increasingly evident election reform is needed at multiple levels.
According to the Pew Research Center, some Americans are open to supporting a change in the two-party system. “With a record share of Americans expressing unfavorable views of both major parties, 37% of Americans wish there were more political parties to choose from, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.” This is especially true for voters under the age of 50, with almost half indicating a desire for more choices in political parties.
The IUSG election included four campaigns vying for the president and vice president positions. I believe they all want what’s best for IU, but each candidate has different ideas and priorities for how they hope to shape the university today and in the future. This level of choice allowed me to choose the platform that most closely aligned with my interests.
Many countries around the world use a multi-party system. I traveled to Denmark several years ago during an election cycle and witnessed campaign posters representing different political parties on display everywhere. Denmark has over a dozen political parties, and a relatively large number of them are included in the 179 people in the Danish Parliament. The variety of perspectives helps better represent different views of their constituents. Denmark is also considered one of the happiest countries in the world, so it must be doing something right.
I don’t mean to say we need more people to run on fringe party platforms or create chaos in our election system. But two parties aren’t enough to meet the needs of society’s diverse viewpoints. Third parties can’t dent the DNC or GOP and wouldn’t help create meaningful change as it is. It would take time, but developing new parties that want to engage in good faith within our democracy would offer the choice many young people want. And maybe it would lead to more compromise within Congress instead of the gridlock we often have now.
Another area for improvement in U.S. elections is the difficulty of voting. Unfortunately, voting has been made difficult throughout history by design. Voters in some districts face long lines, lack of access to voting stations and other restrictions. In 2020, over 60% of eligible Americans voted, which is the largest turnout in decades. However, that is largely due to the increase in mail-in ballots and early voting due to the pandemic. Expanding these voting methods are reasonable first steps, but more needs to be done.
Voting in the IUSG election was incredibly easy because it was online and ran quickly through the BeInvolved website. Though I understand there’s a difference between college elections and national elections, it should be easier to vote for the next leader of the U.S.
Voting is especially difficult for marginalized communities. The Brennan Center of Justice points out that millions of Americans can never reach the polls. “Communities of color, low-income communities, students, and seniors are especially vulnerable.” The American Civil Liberties Union points out some of the restrictions, “These discriminatory anti-voter efforts continue today and include unnecessary photo ID laws, restraints on voter registration, voter purges, cuts to early voting and vote by mail, documentary proof of citizenship requirements, and polling place closures.”
So, what can we do to improve voting access? First, make election day a national holiday! Voters shouldn’t be deterred just because you have to work all day. Make it easier to vote by offering same-day voter registration and expanding voting options, including by mail, early or drop-box voting and allow for more time to vote like the three days we had for IUSG.
While a multi-party system may not be available soon, it’s important to have conversations about its potential benefits to our democracy. Easy access to voting is something that can be solved with relatively simple solutions and should be implemented nationwide now, as modeled by the IUSG elections. Election reform needs to be more than a discussion we have every four years. Voting is meant to make us feel empowered and I felt that way while voting in the IUSG elections. Instead of being clumped into two major parties, we could choose the group that aligned with our vision for IU best. To create change, we need to use our voices and our votes to push for action.
Jack Davis (he/him) is a freshman studying journalism.
