Essay Assignment: Voting Rights and Voter Suppression Paper
Prompt Context: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was created to enfranchise African Americans and other minority voters, who had been subjected to poll taxes, literacy tests, terror and murder as methods of voter suppression throughout the Jim Crow South since the end of Reconstruction. The Voting Rights Act was successful as measured by steady increases in the numbers of African Americans registered to vote. However, in Sheldon County v. Holder, parts of the Voting Rights Act were struck down by the Supreme Court, making it easier for some states to change their voting laws without seeking permission from the Department of Justice. Claiming that voter fraud was on the rise, state governments made it more difficult for African Americans, Latinos and youth to vote. More recently, the president has argued that mail-in voting will create voter fraud and has gone so far as to question the legitimacy of the election this November.
Paper Prompt: Explain how and why the United States has gone from protecting voting rights and expanding the vote to voter suppression. Is voter suppression a threat to U.S. Democracy?
In answering the prompt, make sure you respond to the following questions:
A. What is the purpose of the Voting Rights Act of 1965?
B. What are the effects of the Shelby County v. Holder decision?
C. What is the difference between in-person voting fraud and election fraud? (Hint: A Dream Undone)
D. What forms of voter suppression were put in place after Shelby County v. Holder?
E. Do you think that voter suppression is something to be concerned about? Is it a threat to U.S. democracy?
F. The president has said several times that mail-in voting leads to voting fraud. He has also suggested that if he loses it will be because of voter fraud. Is the president trying to undermine the legitimacy of the election?
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
(1) The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
(2) The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
(3) Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.