“We should be creative, and we should accommodate the needs of every community to open up the democratic process. We should make it easy and accessible for every citizen to participate,” Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) once said.
Voting is the cornerstone that republics are built upon. It is a fundamental right of all citizens. However, in recent years, fewer young people are registering to vote, and while some people simply might make a choice to not vote, many would register but sadly cannot due to numerous reasons.
To help combat this, municipalities and counties across North Carolina should include voter registration forms within public mailing (jury duty notices, water bills, etc.). This would serve as a consistent reminder to promote registering.
Given the importance of these notices, people are more likely to see the forms, and North Carolina residents of all kinds receive mail from government bodies, eliminating some barriers to access.
The mail is already being delivered, so placing a voter registration form inside the envelope is not an incredibly difficult or costly task — it is just effective and efficient.
While the internet and volunteers do a lot to reach potential voters, they still fail to reach every person, especially those from low-income areas. People from these areas do not always have in-home access to the internet.
It is imperative to make every effort to reach every member of the community so that all have the opportunity to voice their opinions. It is fundamental to the continuation of our republic and should be considered a top priority of all levels of government.
