Voting is a right — don’t let the government tell you otherwise

Attempts to restrict voter access and intimidate elections officials threaten us all

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD — opinion@theaggie.org

Earlier this week, a federal court struck down an order from the United States Department of Justice to Los Angeles County instructing it to put aside over 20,000 ballots it claims went to “noncitizens.” The evidence backing these claims was shaky from the outset, with an initial investigation by the county finding that 38.9% of those on the list were born in the U.S. — a strong indicator of citizenship.

The Constitution and the courts have asserted the right of states to oversee and handle elections. While the presence of federal oversight is not new, Trump has repeatedly sought to supersede states and Congress in restricting voter rights. The president has repeatedly claimed that voter fraud by noncitizens is a common occurrence, despite its debunking. 

Last March, Trump signed an executive order that would have required voters to show a passport or similar form of identification to cast their ballot. That month, he signed another order that would have given the U.S. Postal Service unprecedented control over mail-in voting and restricted voting accessibility. Both orders were later struck down in federal courts, but there remain legitimate concerns about future interference and attempts to throw out ballots after they are cast. 

In the gear up to next week’s midterm, elections officials are now preparing for the possibility of federal intervention and meddling in the ballot counting process. Across the country, states and municipalities have reported training poll workers on how to deal with attempts to seize voting machines and federal election monitors overstepping their authority. 

Some counties have launched social media campaigns to combat right-wing disinformation about the integrity of mail-in ballots, while others have reported hiring legal counsel to brace for possible lawsuits. Since the 2020 election, which Trump continues to dispute, poll workers have been subject to harassment and physical assaults. This is all while the administration has made cuts to federal election support programs and initiatives to boost state election security. 

What this amounts to is an attempt to block citizens from exercising their constitutional rights while also continuing the unwarranted intimidation of elections officials and workers. In doing so, Trump and his allies are seeking to make it harder for Americans to choose their leaders and hold them accountable. While President Trump’s name may not be on any ballot this year, the representatives and officials chosen by voters this November will determine the Congress tasked with the important role of checking and balancing his power.

Voting is the foundational right of our democracy — one which has not always been guaranteed fairly or equitably. Moving forward, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that right remains enshrined in our communities, institutions and policies.

Despite what certain leaders may claim, voting is not a privilege that the government can choose to take away, and certainly not on such unsupported grounds as these accusations of fraud weaponized by this administration. Regardless of your political affiliations, recognizing the rights of your fellow Americans to choose our leaders — and the right of poll workers to do their jobs independently and honestly — requires us all to carry out our civic responsibilities and vote.

Written by: The Editorial Board — opinion@theaggie.org