- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
Americans are required to pay taxes, serve on juries, get their kids vaccinated, get driver’s licenses, and sometimes go to war for their country. So why not ask—or require—every American to vote?
In 100% Democracy, E.J. Dionne and Miles Rapoport argue that universal participation in our elections should be a cornerstone of our system. It would be the surest way to protect against voter suppression and the active disenfranchisement of a large share of our citizens. And it would create a system true to the Declaration of Independence’s aspirations by calling for a government based on the consent of all of the governed.
It’s not as radical or utopian as it sounds: in Australia, where everyone is required to vote (Australians can vote “none of the above,” but they have to show up), 91.9 percent of Australians voted in the last major election in 2019, versus 60.1 percent in America’s 2016 presidential race. Australia hosts voting-day parties and actively celebrates this key civic duty.
It is time for the United States to take a major leap forward and recognize voting as both a fundamental civil right and a solemn civic duty required of every eligible U.S. citizen.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Contents
- Foreword by Heather McGhee
- Introduction
- Chapter One: What We Learned in 2020: Why Universal Voting Is a Logical and Urgent Next Step
- Chapter Two: The Road to 2020: Steps Back, Steps Forward
- Chapter Three: The Paradox of a Crisis: How a Pandemic Sparked Election Reform and Record Turnout
- Chapter Four: Democracy Sausages, Required Voting, and High Turnout: Learning from Australia (Again)
- Chapter Five: Establishing Justice, Securing the Blessings of Liberty: Why Civic Duty Voting Is Constitutional
- Chapter Six: The Need for Persuasion: Why the Public Is Skeptical About Universal Civic Duty Voting
- Chapter Seven: Answering the Critics: Responding to Objections to Civic Duty Voting
- Chapter Eight: Paving the Way for Universal Voting: The Urgency of Gateway Reforms
- Chapter Nine: Getting from Here to There: How to Implement Universal Voting
- Chapter Ten: From the Impossible to the Inevitable: A Strategy for Universal Participation
- Chapter Eleven: Securing Rights, Embracing Responsibilities
- Authors’ Note and Acknowledgments
- Appendix A: A Model Universal Civic Duty Voting Bill
- Appendix B: The Working Group on Universal Voting
- Notes
- About the Authors
- Publishing in the Public Interest
- Copyright