O ver the past several months, this Color Commentary column has highlighted national and local issues related to race, class, socioeconomic status, education and much more.
As I first reported in September, one of the most hotly contested issues has been the vocal concern over Gov. Pat McCrory signing into law many drastic voting changes which affected college students and underrepresented voter populations .
One of the changes was that out-of-state driver’s licenses or college IDs could no longer be accepted as a proper form of identification by a poll official. It also shortened the early voting period by a week and removed same-day voter registration. Also, a requirement for people to present a photo identification when they vote in person will be officially enacted beginning in 2016.
The voter ID concern has just recently returned back into the spotlight when President Barack Obama talked about voter fraud when he gave a speech at the National Action Network’s convention in New York on Friday .
These sweeping changes to voting laws are not just exclusive to North Carolina. They are happening in states all across the country. Voter ID laws currently exist in 34 states, with several of them having very strict requirements .
During his speech, President Obama stated that currently the right to vote is being threatened in a way that it hasn’t been since before the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The act guaranteed the voting rights which are listed in the 13th and 14th amendments of the U.S. Constitution .
According to the president, the real voter fraud that is taking place is the current “bogus” arguments about voter fraud. In my opinion, he is correct .
This is by no means saying that voter fraud isn’t wrong. However, out of all the things that are going on in our country, I’m sure that this “fraud” should not be listed as a high priority, especially when some people still don’t have healthcare and many do not have adequate access to education.
As a college student and a minority, two demographics which these laws target directly, I find it offensive that I feel like I have every right to vote but I’m targeted when I shouldn’t be. If I were an out-of-state student, right now I would be worried about the fact that in a few years I would have to drive hundreds of miles home to go exercise my right to vote.
