The Importance Of and the Power In Voting
We can only impact our future when we make use of the knowledge gained from the experiences of our past.
With the foregoing in mind, our community and this country has a disappointing history when it comes to acquiring and using the right to vote. In America, after the end of the Civil War, there came about a period of Reconstruction, during which time recently emancipated and former slaves, held offices, on both the local and national levels, primarily as a result of their having greater numbers, of persons engaged in voting. This time period lasted a brief ten years, after which the rules were changed, to better benefit owners of land and property, particularly former slave owners.
There also came into existence various tactics and systems that were implemented to prevent Black voters from taking part in elections. History knows all too well about “poll taxes”, so-called “literacy tests”, counting the “number of jelly beans in a jar” and so forth, as the means by which society could discourage or stop Black voter participation in elections.
It was not until the turn of the century that women were allowed to vote and even more nefarious plots came about, designed to intimidate black voters, from taking part in the franchise, presently identified as voter suppression.
Borne out of those difficult times came the Civil Rights movement, Black Consciousness and even more Powerful movements, designed to make our voices heard and to display what a positive impact organized efforts could have on voting and in society, despite racist attacks by well known anti – Black entities. Places in Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, the Carolinas, Georgia and other locales saw heroic efforts by numerous grass roots organizations that led to the passage of historic legislation – The 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Both propelling Voting Rights onto the national stage, spotlighting the courageous efforts of well – known individuals, organizations and leading to a huge increase in the numbers of Black elected officials, across the nation, as mayors, judges, city council members, state representatives and state senators.
Since June 2013, after the SCOTUS gutted Section 5, of the 1965 Voting Rights Act – which required pre-clearance, a significant number of states, especially those with a history of voter discrimination, have changed, without question, more stringent voter identification laws, decreased the number of days for early voting, closed polling places in minority precincts, purged substantial numbers of voters and most recently, changed mail – in ballot request or voting requirements. The State of Texas was sued, in 2014, where in the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ruled that Texas’ voter id law “had a discriminatory impact”, on women, students, African – Americans, Latinos and senior citizens.
Since then Bexar County voters have elected the first African – American County Commissioner (in Precinct 4), and three Black women as Judges. What has been most effective has been the Turnout, in the 2020 general election, resulting in a Democratic President returning to the White House.
Looking ahead, we must continue to organize and to mobilize voters, across the country, to encourage infrequent voters, to energize the 18 to 30 year old age group, whose registrations have been rising, but whose turnout rates remain rather low and to focus on increasing the numbers of voters to TURNOUT, in 2022.
I say:
If you have school age children, you MUST vote!
If you are working to IMPROVE the quality of life, for your family and your community, you MUST vote!
If you want to change laws, CHANGE lawmakers!
If you want to change policies, CHANGE Policymakers! In order to make things better, we must be better informed!
In closing, we say: “VOTE, YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU DID”!
