Protecting Black Voters' Access To The Polls Is The Right Thing To Do

By Chakena Sims


The Black vote is magical. Just ask United States Senator Doug Jones (D-AL), who won his race in 2017 thanks in large part to support from Black voters across Alabama. Candidates spend a lot of time trying to woo Black voters on all sorts of ideological fronts; conversely, several lawmakers push forth restrictive voting policies that tend to impact Black would-be voters first. It’s been 56 years since the Civil Rights Act and we’re still having this conversation in 2020. Happy Black History Month!


Seriously, despite enormous strides to prepare voting more available, parts of our nation still embrace archaic voting laws, or they attempt to dream up exhaustive and exhausting new ones, several of which disenfranchise Black voting-aged adults at higher rates than their white counterparts. That speaks volumes about the power of the Black voting bloc, and why much white supremacy still lingers in the halls of a government meant to be for the people. All the people.


I can travel almost 900 miles south from Chicago to Georgia, where Black folks are being blatantly removed from voting rolls at staggering rates. Or I can hop on Interstate 94 West to Wisconsin and meet hundreds of Black people that can’t satisfy strict voter-ID requirements. At the federal level, presidential candidates are debating whether incarcerated people should have the correct to vote, however the conversation frequently aids in averting short of digging into how the criminal justice system disproportionately imprisons Black people, or how past felonies often skew voting demographics for years to come. The mere thought of having unrestricted access to polls prompts debate, yet there’s nothing debatable, nor radical, about doing what’s right.


Every state has its own rules about voting and if you're not immersed in this stuff for fun — *raises hand* —  it might be hard to keep track all the regulations in your own state. I often share a story about a Black man named Kevin whom I met while doing voter registration canvassing in Chicago. Kevin was told by his parole officer that he’s unable to vote due to a felony conviction. Although here’s a fun fact: Illinois is one of 16 states that let individuals with felonies to vote upon release. I don’t know his parole officer, nor do I know definitively why they lied to him. Here's what I do know: Kevin is one of potentially thousands of people across the state of Illinois, and millions of people across the nation, who are being left out of our democracy. Misinformation is arguably as dangerous as structural barriers, especially as soon as the messenger yields power with the hope to harm. And any time that misinformation targets Black people, it can result in catastrophic consequences for communities who desperately need to be heard by their local, state, and federal governments.


Right now, onto voter apathy: It’s easy to tell people to vote, although the “how to” and “why” are the real challenges. No matter where I’ve lived — whether Chicago; Detroit, Michigan; or New London, Connecticut — I’ve met people who believe that voting doesn’t matter. I get it: It is hard to feel like your vote is heard in a system that has dismissed it for decades. And As soon as I may respond by telling them, “Our ancestors died for the correct to vote,” shaming isn’t a useful tactic to drive turnout. I also identify that schools don’t teach civic education in a uniform manner, and revenue equality makes it complicated to prepare ends meet, let alone to show up at the polls come voting day.


To fight all of this, we need to foster conversations rooted in love to bring more Black voices into our democracy. So, how do we foster and protect a voting culture inside of the Black community despite the persistent barriers in place? It’s critical for us to meet our companions, family member, and community members where they are and help them connect the dots between voting and community issues.


Several of us are tackling personalized issues that appear more immediate and urgent than voting, yet plenty of these issues — from a right to housing to healthcare to zoning issues — are things that elected lawmakers have a mention in, and even show up on ballots. Finding the why in our vote is key. Finding the why takes time. It takes patience and an empathic ear. Some conversations will require more effort and creativity, although the objectives remain the same: normalizing civic engagement and getting us out to vote.


I learned the significance of voting from my grandma. Despite never learning to drive, she routinely finds a way to the polls. She informs me as soon as her voter registration card arrives in the mail; sets a date of as soon as she’s going to vote, whether it’s Early Voting or Election Day; and calls others to make sure they have a plan. My grandma is passionate about voting — to this day, she, my mom, my uncle, and I travel to our neighborhood voting location every year to cast our ballots together.


The act of voting is a sense of pride for my grandma, yet the why is what sustains her efforts. Having to pay co-pays on a fixed revenue makes her enthusiastic about improving healthcare access; watching her neighborhood refuse before her eyes makes her supporter for community investment; and as a former factory worker, she understands the significance of unions, workers’ rights, and fair working conditions. Once we find our why, we can effectively encourage others to vote and hold each other accountable.


Young folks are leading the way to increase voter access across the nation. We are getting organized and leaning into our collective power to make movements that last. Stacey Abrams may have lost her race in Georgia, yet she turned that moment into a movement, one that builds on years of grassroots efforts to stop voter suppression at the source. Young folks are tearing down prohibitive and unnecessary barriers to the polls in plenty of states; in Illinois alone, Chicago Votes and other partner companies have helped pass same-day, automatic, and online voting registration measures, and helped establish the Cook County Jail as a primary voting location. With more organizing, more conversations and quite frankly, better candidate options at the polls, youth voter turnout will meet or exceed that of our grandparents. Mark my word.


Our democracy works best as soon as more voices are included. A representative democracy ensures that Black people can visit the ballot box and pick from leaders that look and think like us, know what our lives are like, and have the perfect track record to improve our everyday lives. The lovers of democracy, like myself, will continue to fight for all of us. That fight starts one conversation at a time, with lawmakers and family member members alike. The correct to vote shouldn’t be viewed as “radical,” and casting your ballot with ease shouldn’t feel like a magnificent. And eliminating barriers? It’s just the correct thing to do.


Chakena Sims is Board President of Chicago Votes Action Fund: a non-partisan, non-profit agency focused on creating a more inclusive democracy by putting power in the hands of young Chicagoans.


Over 4 million people will turn 18 between right now and the 2020 election. MTV's +1thevote is encouraging all potential first-time voters to register and vote this November. It is almost time to prepare voting easier to do, and segment of the milestones already happening in your life, from prom to graduation to birthdays. It's a year-long party and +1thevote is inviting you to support us shape the future. Who's your +1?