Why Don't Poor People Vote?

The poor in America have followed a rocky road to the vote. Because of limitations and voter suppression efforts, casting a ballot can seem dangerous or onerous. The needy often face intimidation and campaigns of misleading information to keep them from the polls. However, the poor vote is necessary in order to keep the country's power structure fair and balanced.

History

Voting in the U.S. began as the domain of the privileged few. In the beginning, only Caucasian male landowners had the right to vote in elections or hold political office. The next group to get the vote was African-American male freedmen. However, many of these freedmen who were allowed to cast ballots also owned land; in their case, the property was tithed to them by ex-owners, or though government law after the abolition of slavery (the forty acres and a mule declaration at the end of the Civil War).

The last two groups, Caucasian women and African-American women, didn't receive the vote until the early 20th century, even if they possessed land. This is because a woman's property was largely the purview of the closest male relative. Female-owned independent wealth was rare, and often handled by male representatives.

The path to the vote, therefore, has been one largely ruled by wealth and assets. Many avenues to political influence are closed to the poor, who can't afford lobbyists or large fund-raising gifts. In the modern era, the rich (in the form of corporations and wealthy individuals) still hold sway. The poor feel disenfranchised, underrepresented and powerless in the face of this asset gap, and opt to stay out of the system by not voting.

Identification

A family of three is classified as impoverished if annual income is under $17,600 a year. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, "poverty rates in 2007 were statistically unchanged for non-Hispanic Whites (8.2 percent), Blacks (24.5 percent), and Asians (10.2 percent) from 2006. The poverty rate increased for Hispanics (21.5 percent in 2007, up from 20.6 percent in 2006)."

Many of the poor in the United States are women and children with little education, discretionary income or exposure to political information. These groups inhabit urban inner cities or rural communities. They are more likely to work a job in the service or manufacturing sectors, and often hold several posts to make ends meet. Time-savers that many take for granted, such as owning a car or having access to cash, are harder for the poor; public transportation is inefficient, and many must wait on long lines to receive poverty benefits such as WIC or food stamps. There's little time to be involved in the political process.

Geography

There have been voter suppression efforts aimed at keeping poorer voters away. In the old days, a "poll tax" was levied on everyone that wished to vote, which created a financial burden on the poor. A modern take on this enables voting officials to require state-issued identification in order to vote. Many poor people cannot afford the cash or time necessary to obtain a driver's license or state I.D. These techniques are largely concentrated in the Southern states.

Poor urban areas often don't receive enough voting machines. Because of this, voting can take hours, as evidenced by eight-hour waits in Florida and Virginia during the 2008 election. MSNBC host Rachel Maddow called these long lines a "new poll tax", citing the loss of vital income for inner city residents due to lost work hours. In well-to-do communities, there are often more voting machines than necessary with extra equipment sometimes stacked up in corners.

Considerations

There are many other techniques used to influence the vote through dishonesty and intimidation.

Voter suppression efforts focus on stoking fear in poor communities. Since the impoverished are more likely to have unpaid parking tickets or civil liens against them, political operatives may hand out fliers or place robo-calls full of misinformation. Some of the more recent ones included warnings that the police would instantly arrest anyone that had unpaid tickets or taxes.

Poor people are very likely to be African-American, as are convicted felons. Keep in mind that felons are stripped of their right to vote after conviction in many states. Activists are attempting to change these laws, since this keeps a very large chunk of historically Democratic voters from casting ballots.

Consider the education gap between the poor and others, which can affect whether forms are filled out correctly. Ballots with mistakes are often flagged for removal by officials with little or no review. Computer voting machines can also seem confusing to people that may have little exposure to technology. Ballot confusion is frustrating, and some would rather stay home rather than deal with these issues.

Significance

Voting may appear to be difficult for the poor, but it's imperative that this population vote. Elections that yield the most representative product are ones that have equality in balloting. Without input from all walks of society, the political system becomes biased in favor of others.

Involvement in the civil and political process promotes a sense of ownership in the community, and empowers people to make decisions that can enhance their lives. Even with the numerous obstacles to voting, many realize that active participation is better than passivity.

Resources

• U.S. Census povery guidelines
• Chicago Tribune: Poor, Hungry, and Ready to Vote in Ohio