Americans support easy voting access

Thursday, June 29, 2017 - 08:28 StudyHall.Rocks

Most feel voting should not be mandatory.

Many Americans prefer to vote early -- in the event of a storm, or because of work requirements on election day, or simply to avoid long lines.

   Voting-access laws have come under fire, occasionally ending with court disputes. But in a study released this week, 6 of every 10 interviewed said they support efforts to make voting easier, while 4 out of 10 believe citizens should register ahead of time, according to the Pew Research Center.
     A total of 34 states have laws requesting or requiring voters to show identification at the polls, according to the National Conference of State Legislators. Some states focus on making voting easy by allowing early voting, for example, or last-minute registration.
    In the study, respondents were asked whether “everything possible should be done to make it easy for every citizen to vote.” They were also asked if “citizens should prove they want to vote by registering ahead of time.” The results were based on telephone interviews conducted in April of 1,028 adults (18 years of age or older) in all 50 states.
    The survey offers a window into how Americans view these issues:

Views differ by political party. Among Democrats, an overwhelming 84 percent said voting should be as easy as possible. Republicans do not feel the same – 35 percent favor making voting easy.

Age makes a difference: Younger people are more likely to say that voting should be easy. Among adults under age 30, 71 percent said everything possible should be done to make it easy for every citizen to vote. Only 27 percent believe voters should have to register ahead of time. Comparatively, 56 percent of adults 30 and older want it to be easier to vote, and 42 percent think citizens should have to register beforehand.

Views also differ by race: Among African-Americans, 79 percent say voting should be made as easy as possible. Only 19 percent of African-Americans say people should have to register in advance. By contrast, 54 percent of white voters support making voting easy; 44 percent favor registering in advance. Among Hispanics, 64 percent support making voting easy; 35 percent favor registering in advance.

Most agreed that voting should not be mandatory. When asked whether “all citizens should be required to vote in national elections,” roughly 20 percent said yes, while 78 percent agreed that “citizens should be able to decide whether to vote in national elections.” And on this issue, there wasn’t much partisan bickering. Most Republicans -- 82 percent -- and 74 percent of Democrats believe citizens should decide for themselves whether to vote.

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