The Politics of Disenfranchisement: Why is it So Hard to Vote in America?: Why is it So Hard to Vote in America?

by Scher,Richard K.

• ISBN13: 9780765627353
• ISBN10: 0765627353
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2011-01-15
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Written by an author with wide expertise on Southern and Florida politics and districting, this book explores

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
Trying to Vote in America	p. 3
The Political Context	p. 4
The Intellectual Context	p. 6
The Politics of Disenfranchisement and Other Works	p. 7
Why the Hurdles, Difficulties, and Impediments?	p. 8
The Public, Democracy, and the Nature of Our Elections	p. 20
A Note on the 2008 General Election	p. 22
The Plan of the Book	p. 24
Notes	p. 25
Disenfranchisement as Public Policy: The Great American Tradition	p. 27
Let Everyone Vote? Not on Your Life!	p. 29
The Franchise at the Nation's Origin	p. 30
Disenfranchising African Americans	p. 32
The Jim Crow Era	p. 35
Women's Suffrage	p. 40
Chinese Immigrants	p. 45
Conclusion	p. 48
Notes	p. 48
Disenfranchising the Marginalized	p. 52
Convicted Felons	p. 52
Noncitizens	p. 56
The Mentally and Physically Impaired	p. 59
Those Under Eighteen	p. 63
Language Minorities	p. 65
The Homeless	p. 69
Conclusion	p. 71
Notes	p. 72
The Mechanics of Voting	p. 79
Keep You from Voting? Yes, We Can!	p. 81
Qualifying	p. 81
Registration	p. 82
Same-Day Registration (EDR)	p. 90
Third-Party Registration	p. 92
Polling Places	p. 93
Alternatives to Polling Places	p. 97
Voter Purges	p. 102
Voter ID	p. 103
Conclusion	p. 107
Notes	p. 108
So You Cast a Ballot! Will It Count?	p. 115
A Brief Overview of Voting Technology, Historically Speaking	p. 116
Electronic Voting: "Grasping at Straws, Rushing to Judgment"	p. 121
Conclusion	p. 130
Notes	p. 134
Trying to Vote in America: Disenfranchisement as Public Policy	p. 139
Gaming the System: Disenfranchisement by Other Means	p. 141
Fraud	p. 143
Incumbency Advantage	p. 146
Districting	p. 148
Disenfranchising Voters After the Election: Recounts and Courts	p. 151
Intimidation	p. 157
Conclusion	p. 160
Notes	p. 161
Conclusion: Do We Want to Do Better?	p. 165
The Voter's Responsibility, and the State's	p. 166
Constitutional Obligations	p. 169
Political Obligations	p. 173
Ethical Obligations	p. 178
What is to Be Done?	p. 181
Creating Our Future	p. 186
Notes	p. 187
Index	p. 189
About the Author	p. 201
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