POL 201 week 5 DQ2

Voting and Turnout. The U.S. has one of the lowest voter turnout rates among modern 

democratic political systems. One study ranks the U.S. 120th on a list of 169 nations compared on voter turnout 

(Pintor, Gratschew, & Sullivan, 2002). While during the last decade many initiatives have been undertaken to 

increase voter participation, concerns about the possibility of election fraud have also increased. Additionally, 

some political interests feel threatened by the increase in turnout among some traditionally low-turnout ethnic 

minorities. 

Several states have recently passed legislation imposing new registration and identification requirements. This has 

sparked debate about whether these are tactics intended to suppress turnout or to prevent fraud. 

Before writing your initial post, review the assigned resources, which can be downloaded from your online 

course. 

In your initial post of at least 200-250 words, summarize recent developments in several states enacting voter ID 

laws. Explain the pros and cons on both sides of the debate about these laws. Share your own experience with the 

relative difficulty or ease of voting in your locale. Draw your own conclusion about the debate over voter ID laws. 

Finally, share your perspective about whether voting in the U.S. should be made easier or harder. Justify your 

conclusions with facts and persuasive reasoning. 

Fully respond to all parts of the question. Write in your own words. Support your position with APA citations to 

two or more of the assigned resources required for this discussion. Please be sure that you demonstrate 

understanding of these resources, integrate them into your argument, and cite them properly. 

By Day 7, respond to at least two of your classmates' initial posts. Your peer responses each must be at least 75 

words. They must demonstrate critical thinking (e.g., ask a relevant question about your peer's post while 

explaining why your question is significant, or state a perspective that contrasts with your peer's while explaining 

or justifying your position). 

Reference: 

Pintor, R., Gratschew, M., & Sullivan, K. (2002). Voter turnout rates from a comparative perspective. In R. Pintor 

& M. Gratschew (Eds.), Voter turnout since 1945: A global report. Stockholm, Sweden: The International 

Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. Retrieved from 

http://www.idea.int/publications/vt/upload/Voter%20turnout.pdf