Response to "Voting for Voter's Votes"

For the generation of young students who are just becoming eligible to vote, 2016 is certainly an exciting year. Yet, even for experienced voters, the current array of candidates has promoted an increased awareness in politics. As the possibility of two extreme candidates likens, so does the possibility that foul play in the voting booths could be at work. In Katrina Berthold’s commentary, she discusses one possible instance of voter fraud in Arizona. I agree with Berthold that the behavior at hand is definitely suspicious, but it wasn’t until additional research had been done that I came to this conclusion. 

Berthold starts her argument by examining the idea of voter suppression. She notes that Arizona had issues with voting during its primary, and citizens were complaining about the lack of polling places, wait times, and problems with ballots. The complaints were even taken to court where judges ruled that not enough evidence had been produced. 

At first glance, I assumed that the alleged voter suppression was due to outdated technology and a lack of funds to allow for more polling places. After further research on the issue, I discovered that voters were forced to wait in lines for hours and many remained even after winners had been announced. Arizona is a closed primary and some voters complained that they were given provisional ballots despite being registered with a specific party. These are details that were left out in the original commentary, and would have shown themselves to be highly effective in convincing readers.

Berthold concludes her argument by considering who is to blame for the thousands of Arizona citizens who missed their opportunity to vote. She writes that voter turnout in the state decreased in 2012, possibly accounting for the lack of polling places, and therefore the government may not have intentionally restricted voters. 

Berthold makes it clear that Arizona’s primary voting this past year was “unfair and restricted.” This, I agree with. However, I feel that with additional information, her argument could have been strengthened. Nevertheless, Arizona should consider the importance of the upcoming election and respond accordingly.