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BIG CITY: In your hands

Posted on April 12, 2012April 11, 2012 by Staff

By Kirk Ross
Staff writer

Very shortly, you’ll be able to head out to one of five early-voting spots in Orange County and do your civic duty.
Here’s hoping you’ll jump on this opportunity early and at the very least register your “no” on the awful Amendment One referendum. Then, if you would, please spend the rest of the voting season cajoling your friends into doing the same.
Voting is a precious right – precious, and hard fought.
The fact that you can vote early and register the same day shouldn’t be taken for granted. People had to fight for that. That polling place on campus? Well, it didn’t just spring up organically.

Fewer than 100 years ago, your gender determined if you could vote. Ending that took a hell of a fight.

And for the troubled century and a half since the end of slavery, the color of one’s skin has been a barrier to the ballot, as systematic intimidation, discrimination and outright violence awaited the black voter, and roadblocks disguised as statutes codified discrimination.

The fight against those barriers continues, and probably will for a good long while.

As long as there are people willing to change the rules to serve their particular political beliefs, there will be efforts, legal and otherwise, to rig the system.

In the last session, the N.C. General Assembly shortened the amount of time for the early-voting period and passed a budget that included language making it impossible for the state to tap millions in federal funds to improve voting access and update equipment.

The worst attempt to change the voting laws, the so-called Voter ID bill, stopped short of passage thanks to the governor’s veto and just enough opponents to prevent an override. But under standing adjournment rules, the bill, which would disproportionately affect elderly, disabled and minority voters, could be brought back up at any time. If one or two opponents waver or aren’t around that day, it’ll become law.

There is no widespread voter fraud going on that would warrant such a change. The real fraud of the Voter ID bill is in the intent of its supporters. The only reason it’s in play is because its backers see an advantage if fewer elderly, disabled and minority voters get to cast ballots.
Perhaps someday some kind of ID bill will pass that will include an adequate way to obtain an ID, along with provisions to make sure age and health aren’t obstacles. But as it’s now written, the bill is pure vote suppression. I don’t care which side you’re pulling for – that’s not right.

I’ll reserve for another time a lengthy broadside on the way escalating campaign contributions and the lax reporting have tilted the table. But as the swarm of ads descends on the state for the election cycle, it should be clear to even casual observers that billionaire bullies are playing games with our political system.

The people who fought for change and against disenfranchisement – from every brilliant legal mind to the millions who marched in the streets – did so just for moments like these. They fought so that someday you might have the chance to use your vote to turn back those forces that rise from time to time that try to narrow the definition of democracy and winnow who may enjoy its fruits.

We need to honor those fights and honor the people who dedicated themselves, even laid down their lives, so that all these years down the road the people would still have a voice.
Every election is an opportunity to make things a little better, or at least a way to prevent them from getting worse. This year, in both the spring and fall, the differences are stark and the danger of turning back the clock is clear and present.

This is your shot to make it right. Your fight. Your turn.
For more voting information, see page 3.

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