When the Founding Fathers first wrote the Constitution, only white men could vote. Since that time, extraordinary people have given up life and liberty to expand voting rights to all citizens so that the United States could try to become a government of the people. But some people encounter huge barriers to voting, and we must improve our record on that problem.
No democracy is perfect, but it is certainly made less perfect if people who can engage choose not to.
According to the Census, in the highly contested 2000 presidential election, national voter turnout was only 60 percent of the potential voters.
According to the Maryland State Board of Elections, 70 percent of eligible voters in Baltimore participated in the 2004 presidential election - but only 47 percent came out in 2006 for the gubernatorial election.
Today, we vote in the presidential and congressional primaries. But local politicians make decisions that affect almost every aspect of your life. Should we let them make these decisions without trying to influence the process?
People who are eligible to vote but stay home are part of the problem. If you go anywhere in Baltimore, you will find someone who will complain about the city's problems: lack of development, too much development, the HIV/AIDS rate, the crime, the public schools - the list goes on. However, many of these same people often do not hold local, state and federal politicians accountable, because they choose not to vote. Many of society's issues are made worse by public policies that do more harm than help - for instance, trying to arrest our way out of the consequences of drug addiction.
Citizens complain that elections are all about money, the primaries are rigged, they have no real voice - and they use these as reasons to not become a part of the process. But those are simply excuses. You will never have a voice unless you choose to use it.
What would it take to make sure more people vote? Here are two simple proposals:
Easy registration. People should be able to register online, and voter registration materials should be available anywhere that large numbers of people congregate. There should be locations for people who need language and reading help.
Easy access to the polls. Many people work all day, and when they are not at work, they have to take care of other responsibilities, including children. By the time they are done, the polls are closed. Many government offices give employees the day off for national elections but not local ones. What if every Election Day - local and national - meant all workers had time off to vote? Employees should encourage their workers to become part of the nation's future.
Dr. Kim? Joy Taylor, director of the Tackling Drug Addiction Program at Open Society Institute - Baltimore, is former deputy commissioner for the Baltimore Health Department. This article and responses to it are posted at www.audaciousideas.org, a blog created by OSI-Baltimore to stimulate ideas and discussion about solutions to difficult problems in Baltimore.