Black Votes Matter: Rethinking Solutions To Racial Inequality

Next, voting procedures must be reformed on a national scale. In Article 2, Section 1, Clause 4 of the United States constitution, the power to determine the time and day on which to hold elections is given to Congress. When America was a predominantly agrarian society, Congress determined that since November is the end of fall harvest and the month with the best weather, it would be the most convenient month for a majority of the nation to be able to vote. Additionally, the first Tuesday after the first Monday was chosen in order to accommodate merchants that had to balance books on the first day of the month. However, this rationale for determining the Election Day is not only outdated, but also antithetical to the premise that it was made to protect. Working class Americans, most of which will be made up of minorities by 2032, are disproportionately disadvantaged by having voting take place on a weekday. Many minorities, including many black Americans, are not able to leave work in order to vote. On top of this, many of these working class Americans are not able to vote after work due to the inability to find childcare. These factors make Tuesdays an inopportune day for many black Americans. By moving the Election Day to a more accessible day, such as Saturdays, more African-Americans will be able to access polling locations, and have their voices heard, thus reducing the marginalization of the black body.

Article source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/black-votes-matter-rethinking-solutions-to-racial_us_58f906d3e4b0de26cfeae1cb?section=us_new-york