Esikhathini esingaphezudlwana kwesonto ngemva kokuphela kokhetho lukamongameli, ababukeli abaningi bamalungelo okuvota bacabanga ngakho konke esikufunde emikhankasweni yalo nyaka: ukuthi yini ehambe kahle, yini engahambanga kahle, kanye nezinselele ezingakaxazululwa ezisaza. Mayelana nokuthatha konke, umqondisi we-Advancement Project uJudith Browne-Dianis isonga kahle, ethi, “Ingxoxo kazwelonke mayelana namalungelo okuvota yathuthukiswa ngendlela esingakaze siyibone kusukela ngo-1965.”
Kulo nyaka, abantu baseMelika abaningi ngokungangabazeki bafunde okwengeziwe ngenqubo yokuvota kunanoma yimuphi unyaka enkumbulweni yakamuva. Imikhankaso yamalungelo omphakathi kanye nokuvikela ukhetho yenza abantu baqaphela izinto ezifana nomehluko phakathi kombheki wokuvota kanye nombukeli wokuvota; indlela abantu abasebenzisa ngayo idatha ukuze bahlanze abavoti; nokuthi ayini amalungelo abavoti uma bemi emigqeni yokuvota. Ezingeni eliguquguqukayo, ingxoxo emayelana nemithetho kamazisi womvoti yanikeza abantu baseMelika ukuqonda okukhulu hhayi nje kuphela ukuthi bangaki abantu abangenawo umazisi okhishwe uhulumeni, kodwa futhi nezizathu zokuthi kungani.
Mhlawumbe okubaluleke kakhulu, nokho, abantu baseMelika abaningi bafunda-noma okungenani bakhunjuzwa-ngomlando wentando yeningi yethu, ukuthi amaqhawe alwela amalungelo abantu asize kanjani isizwe ukuthi sazi ukuthi intando yeningi, ngokuphoqa ukwanda kwabavoti, okuwumgogodla wokunwetshwa kwenkululeko. ubuzwe. "Abantu baseMelika baqala ukubona ukuthi intando yeningi yayihlaselwa," uthi U-Browne-Dianis wonyaka odlule. "Futhi esikhundleni sokuvuma lo mzamo weqembu wokukhawulela ivoti labo njengesithiyo esingenakunqotshwa, babone kuyinselelo okufanele bahlangabezane nayo."
Umzamo wokuhlangabezana naleyo nselele ukhiqize kokubili ukunqoba nezinye izimpi ezisele, kodwa kunezifundo ezithile esingazithatha kuzo ngayinye.
1. Idatha isiza ukunqoba ukhetho, kodwa akuyona yonke into.
Umkhankaso ka-Obama ubonise kahle indlela yokuhlonza nokukhomba abavoti abasha, kuyilapho umkhankaso wakwa-Romney ufunde ukuthi idatha, njengesayensi, iyadingeka ngempela. Kodwa idatha ithatha kuphela imizamo yokuphuma-evotini kuze kube manje, ngoba othile kufanele ayise abantu okhethweni. Amasonto abaNsundu kanye nezahluko ze-NAACP e-Ohio naseFlorida ziveze abavoti abamnyama abaqopha umlando “Imiphefumulo EmaPolls” imikhankaso, ngokuthutha abantu futhi ngebhasi besuka ezinkonzweni zesonto baye ezindaweni zokuvota. Le mikhankaso, eyaphumelela kakhulu nango-2008, bekuyinhloso eyinhloko kulabo abaphikelela, ngaphezu kwabo bonke ubufakazi bokuthi ukukhwabanisa kwabavoti kuyinkinga. Ukubavikela—noma, imithetho yokuqala yokuvota ebavumelayo—kubonakale kubalulekile ngo-2012 ekwandiseni isibalo sabantu abamnyama ababamba iqhaza kuntando yeningi.
Ngaleso sikhathi, ngezinye izikhathi idatha ivele yehlulekile ukuhlonza abavoti bombala kwasekuqaleni. EMinnesota, uHana Worku wase Amazwi Amalungelo Okuvota utshele abakwaColourlines ukuthi iningi labavoti abaxhumene nabo kwakungebona abantu abazungeza kuma-databanks. Kunalokho, bafinyelela “abavoti abahola kancane kanye nemiphakathi enemibala eyayingeke ithintwe ngenye indlela.” E-Tampa, ngachitha isikhathi ngenza okuthi “Knock n’ Grabs”—ngingena indlu ngendlu ngibuza abantu ukuthi bavotile yini, futhi uma kungenjalo, ngibayisa okhethweni—nabahleli be-NAACP. Bagcina ngokuchitha izinhlu zabo zokukhankasa futhi esikhundleni salokho bahamba emigwaqweni becosha abavoti ezitobhini, kuvulandi nasemakhoneni ngoba babazi ukuthi abantu abakuma-data sheet cishe babengekho ekhaya.
2. Abavoti bemibala babengabonakali, ukuze bazuze.
Ngandlela thize, iqiniso lokuthi abavoti bemibala bebengaveli kuma-database bekuyinto enhle. Igcine abantu okungenzeka ukuthi bebengenayo intshisekelo yabo engcono ekubhekiseni kubo, ngenkathi ilahla abavoti beRiphabhulikhi ababecabanga ukuthi babenokhetho esikhwameni. Abasizi bomkhankaso kuMitt Romney bathe izibalo zabo mayelana nokuwina iFlorida baxoshwa ngoba "babone abavoti ababengakaze babazi ukuthi bakhona ezindaweni ezifana ne-Osceola, Fla.," okuyiPuerto Rican, Latino kanye ne-African American. EMaine, kube nenani elikhulu labavoti abansundu, kodwa ngokusho kombiko Usihlalo we-Republican Party: “Akekho owayebazi edolobheni.”
3. Isidingo sokuvota kusenesikhathi sabonakala.
Phakathi kwamafa okhetho lwango-2012 kuzoba nezithombe zolayini abade ezindaweni zokuvota ezweni lonke, njengenguqulo ephinde yanyatheliswa ethi "Amehlo Emklomelweni." It kwakungadingeki kube ngaleyondlela. Ukuqondiswe kahle kwezinsiza kanye nemishini yokuvota bekungalulamisa ukuvota. E-Tampa, imigqa imile ngoba bekunezichibiyelo zomthethosisekelo eziyi-11 emavotini, ezinye zazo abathi abavoti azichazeki. Imigqa emide yabusa usuku eVirginia, e-Ohio, ePennsylvania naseMaryland. Intatheli yethu yomphakathi u-Hermelinda Cortes ubike mayelana nokuthi ukushoda kwamathuba okuvota ngaphambi kwesikhathi kanye nokulova kwamlimaza kanjani uVirginia. U-Cortes wabhala: “Umbuso awukwenzi kube lula ukuvota kusenesikhathi. Ngokungafani nezinye izifundazwe, iVirginia ifuna ukuthi abavoti bangaphambi kwesikhathi bahlangabezane neziqu ezingaphezu kweshumi nambili futhi basayine isitatimende esifungelwe.”
EFlorida, uchwepheshe wezomthetho wokhetho uDan Smith wafunda ngokunciphisa ukuvota kwasekuqaleni kusukela kulo nyaka futhi waphetha, “Kubonakala sengathi izinsuku ezimbalwa zokuvota kusenesikhathi—ikakhulukazi ukuqedwa kweSonto lokugcina ngaphambi koSuku Lokhetho—kuye kwaholela emathubeni ambalwa okuba abanye abavoti baphume bayovota. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kuyaphikiswana ngokususelwa ebufakazini obuvezwe lapha bokuthi ukuncishiswa kwezinsuku zokuvota zakuqala okubangelwe yi-House Bill 1355 kube nomphumela ohlukile kubantu abambalwa bezinhlanga nezinhlanga eFlorida, ikakhulukazi abamnyama. "
4. Ababheki bokuvota bophiko lwesokudla bazidlalele bona.
Iphrojekthi yethu ye-Voting Rights Watch yahlaba umkhosi kusenesikhathi mayelana nezinhlelo zamaqembu abuka ukuvota njenge Iqiniso Ivoti. Ngasekuqaleni konyaka, i-True the Vote ithe izoba nebutho labantu abayisigidi ukwenza abavoti bazizwe sengathi “bayashayela futhi babone amaphoyisa ebalandela”. I-Republican Party nayo yethula imizamo ukumasha umbukiso omkhulu wokuvota. Kodwa iningi lale mizamo yachithwa, ikakhulukazi ngenxa yokuthi imithombo yezindaba kanye nabameleli bamalungelo okuvota zibeke phezulu futhi ngaleyo ndlela wabhekisisa eduze. Kodwa futhi zaqedwa ngenxa yokungakwazi kwabo ukusebenza.
Intatheli yethu u-Aura Bogado, isibonelo, yabamba eyodwa i-poll watch e-Colorado ukubika "ukugxila okuphezulu kwabantu bemibala" endaweni yokuvota, njengokungathi lokho kuphambene nomthetho. E-Ohio, ababukeli bokuvota abavela ku-True the Vote babe kuvinjelwe ezindaweni zesifunda esisodwa ngoba ababhalisanga kahle. Ngokuvamile, i-True the Vote yazihlanganisa nabaningi abashisekeli bophiko lwesokudla nabacwasa ngokwebala ukuthi izimangalo zabo ezingezona uhlangothi zenziwa ubuwula obumsulwa. Ngaleso sikhathi, kuboniswe amamanuwali okubuka ukuvota avela kukho kokubili i-True the Vote kanye ne-Republican Party imininingwane yamanga. Konke lokhu kwabulimaza kakhulu ubudlelwano babo nezikhulu zokhetho kanye nokwethembeka kwabo emehlweni abezindaba.
5. Ukuvikela Ukhetho kusebenza.
Abanye abantu bathi izinsongo zokucindezelwa kwabavoti zangaphambi kokhetho zeqile. Kungenzeka. Noma mhlawumbe bekwanele ukuphikisana nabameli be-Election Protection ababesendaweni yesigameko ngobuningi kangangokuthi ukuba khona kwabo kwabhuntshisa ukuhlukunyezwa kwabavoti, noma wayivikela lapho ivela. Mina ngokwami ngabona abameli bokuvikela uKhetho kungenelela lapho abaqaphi be-poll bevuka umbhejazane, kuyilapho besiza abantu abadala ukuba badlule emigqeni emide futhi banciphise ukudideka kwabavoti, okwakudlangile. Intatheli yethu yomphakathi uHillary Abe wabhala ukuthi kanjani ithimba elilodwa alisizanga nje kuphela ukuchezukisa imizamo yokucindezelwa kwabavoti eqondiswe kwaboMdabu baseMelika, kodwa nokuthi bahlangane kanjani kulo nyaka ukuze bakhulise amandla abo ezepolitiki, balwe neziphakamiso zikamazisi womvoti kulolu hlelo.
6. Abahleli beGrassroots bangakwazi ukukhipha abavoti ngesabelomali esifushane—kodwa akuyona into enhle leyo.
E-Orlando, e-Miami nase-Tampa, ngichithe isikhathi nabameli bokuphuma-evotini ababesebenza ngesabelomali esincane kakhulu, uma benesabelomali nhlobo. Abaningi babahleli nabo babengasebenzi futhi benza umsebenzi wokuzithandela. Ngafunda ukuthi lokhu kwakuyiqiniso nakwezinye izindawo. EMinnesota, uHana Worku usitshela ukuthi “abagqugquzeli emiphakathini enemibala babephithizela ukuze nje bathole izinto zokwakha, ukuhumusha, nokuxhaswa ngezimali ukuze bakhokhele umsebenzi wabo, ngisho nangetoho.” E-Pittsburgh, umhleli u-Celeste Taylor wayenethemba ngandlela-thile ngakho, wangitshela, “Kubaluleke kakhulu ukuqonda ukuthi impumelelo yezinhlangano ezingenzi nzuzo, ezingenzi nzuzo kanye nomsebenzi osebenzayo wokuhlela osekelwe emphakathini ukuthi zisebenzisa amavolontiya amaningi, okuhlanganisa abantu abafana nami ayekhokhelwa umsebenzi wetoho futhi esebenza cishe ngaso sonke isikhathi—izinsuku eziningi zamahora angu-12 kuya kwayi-18! Bekuwukuzidela okukhulu ukuthola imali encane kangaka nokusebenza okungaka, kodwa umphumela waba ukubona indlela abantu emiphakathini yethu abalwazisa ngayo ulwazi futhi baphuma bayovota!” Yiqiniso, kodwa asikho isizathu sokuthi kungani ukusebenzisa amahora angu-60 nangaphezulu akufanele kunxeshezelwe ngokwanele. Uma kukubi ku-Wal-Mart, kubi ngomsebenzi womvoti.
7. Abantu bebala babezigqugquzele ukuthi bavote, hhayi nje ukugqugquzelwa ngu-Obama.
Njengoba ngabhala ngaphambili, abantu akazange alinde amahora kulayini ukuvota nje kumfana owaziwa ngokuxosha abokufika kakhulu noma ukwehluleka ukwenza isithunzi ngokungasebenzi kwabantu abamnyama. Kwakukhona ukuzinikela okujulile emdlalweni. Intatheli yethu yomphakathi uNoni Grant washo lokho ngisensimini ubuze abantu abambalwa ukuthi kungani bebona kubalulekile ukuvota. Ukusabela okumangazayo kwaba "abantu abamnyama balilwele futhi bafela ilungelo lokuvota." Umlando wamalungelo omphakathi kanye namalungelo okuvota eMelika usengaphakathi kwenkumbulo esebenzayo yabantu abaningi bemibala, ngakho-ke lokhu kwakuwubizo lomsebenzi womphakathi, ikakhulukazi lapho kubhekene nomzamo onjalo wokucindezela ngamazwi nasobala.
8. Abantu abaningi abazange bavote, ngoba abakwazanga, ngenxa yamacala obugebengu.
In Florida kanye naseVirginia kuphela, ukuncishwa amalungelo obugebengu kuvimbe abantu abacishe babe yizigidi ezimbili ukuthi bavote kulo Novemba. Futhi noma inqubo yaseVirginia yokubuyisela amalungelo kulabo abanezigebengu yenziwa lula ngumbusi, kusenzima kangangokuthi abaningi ayikwazanga ukufaka isicelo ukuze kubuyiselwe amalungelo ngesikhathi. U-Rosana Cruz, waseNew Orleans-based Amazwi Esaphulamthetho wabhala ngale nkinga Bethi, “Cishe abantu abayingxenye yesigidi ezifundazweni ezinhlanu zaseGulf abazange bavote namuhla, ngoba njengabantu ababekade beboshiwe, abantu ababoshiwe futhi bakhululwa ngoshwele, noma ababoshiwe njengamanje, baye banqatshelwa lelo lungelo. Leso sibalo asibali Abantu Abakade Beboshiwe abangazi nokuthi banalo yini ilungelo lokuvota, ngoba imithetho evimba amalungelo okuvota iyahluka ngokwezifundazwe.”
9. Amakhulu ezinkulungwane zamavoti abengakabalwa.
E-Arizona, eFlorida nasePennsylvania, asekhona amavoti asele okufanele abalwe. Abavoti abaningi kulezi zifundazwe bafika okhethweni bathola ukuthi amagama abo ayengabhaliwe, nakuba babebhalisiwe ngempela. E-Arizona, amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu bayazibuza ukuthi ukubhaliswa kwabo kwashonaphi, noma ivoti labo lashonaphi. E-Philadelphia, kuyisivumelwano esifanayo. I-Philadelphia City Paper ine wazama ukuya phansi ngokwenzeka ngamavoti anyamalalayo, futhi akakwazanga ukuqhamuka nalutho. Njengoba uMongameli Obama asho, "Kufanele sikulungise lokho."
10. Ukulima nokuvinjelwa kabusha kwadala ukudideka.
Cishe lena indaba engakabikwa kahle kakhulu ezweni. Kulandela iCensus ka-2010, kwadwetshwa imigqa emisha yezifunda zokuvota, eyashintsha lapho abantu abaningi beyovota khona. Uma usuthuthile selokhu kwaphuma iCensus, sikhona isikhala sokudideka. E-Philadelphia, iningi labavoti abashabalala ngendlela engaqondakali kusolwa ukuthi bawumphumela wemigqa emisha edwetshiwe kanye nokwehluleka kokhomishana bezifunda ukuxwayisa abavoti ngezifunda zabo ezintsha zokuvota.
Trupania Bonner, we Ukuqhubekela phambili Gulf Coast, Inc., yakwazi ukwenza imiphakathi yase-Louisiana ingagcini nje ngokufundiswa ngenqubo yokuvinjelwa kabusha, kodwa futhi yabafundisa indlela yokuzibandakanya kuyo. U-Bonner uthi: “Akekho oqonda ngempela ukuthi kuyini ukuphinda kubekwe imingcele, futhi ukuthi uma ukulima kwenzeka kanjani ubona indlela i-Southern Manifesto kanye nalezo zinhlobo zemibono zithuthuka ngayo kulokho. Ngakho-ke kithina, sifunde inqubo yokubeka kabusha izifunda kanye nendlela yokuzidweba ngokwethu izifunda. Sabe sesithenga isoftware esetshenziswa izishayamthetho ukwenza imingcele kabusha, futhi safundisa izakhamizi ukuthi zenze kanjani nazo. Okufanele yonke imiphakathi ikuqonde ngokugcwele ukuthi amalungelo ethu avikelwa kanjani ngokufunda nokuzibandakanya ohlelweni lokubalwa kwabantu kanye nenqubo yokubeka kabusha imingcele.”
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