5 Oct 2026
Why is it so Hard to Vote?
Steve defiles a chicken, Anne misrepresents Swedish fish, and Mack imitates a raven. Oh, and we talk about voting. MAKE YOUR PLAN TO VOTE: https://www.vote411.org/
REFERENCES
There has been a trend among both parties to encourage people to get out and vote:
Carnegie Corporation of New York. “Voting Rights: A Short History.” Updated March 2025. Andrew Carnegie Foundation. https://carnegie.org/article/voting-rights-timeline/
Public schools have a responsibility to make sure that high schoolers that are of age, that we get them registered to vote:
Texas Secretary of State. “High School Deputy Registrar FAQs.” https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/laws/high-school-frequently-asked-questions.shtml
The name of the multistate database to help coordinate voter rolls is the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC):
ERIC. “What is ERIC?” https://ericstates.org/about/
This is a far cry from where we started:
University of North Texas. “A Brief History of Voting in America.” https://guides.library.unt.edu/voting/history-of-voting-America
In the Constitution, this is still true, states on their own decide who gets to vote:
Constitution Annotated. “ArtI.S4.C1.2.1 States and Elections Clause.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S4-C1-2/ALDE_00013577/
There have been times that states allowed foreign residents to vote:
Castellanos Canales, Arturo. “The Myths and Truths of Noncitizen Voting in the United States.” May 7, 2024. Forum. https://forumtogether.org/article/the-myths-and-truths-of-noncitizen-voting-in-the-united-states/
There’s also been a change in the meaning of the word citizen throughout time:
National Museum of American History. “Defining Citizenship.” Smithsonian. https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/american-democracy/online/creating-citizens/defining-citizenship
The word citizen is mentioned several times in the Constitution including as a requirement to become a member of the House and Senate, or to serve as President. Read your Constitution, kids.
The Dred Scott case:
Oyez. “Dred Scott v. Sandford.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1850-1900/60us393
There was no secret ballot:
Wasley, Paula. “Back When Everyone Knew How You Voted.” Fall 2016. National Endowment for the Humanities. https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2016/fall/feature/back-when-everyone-knew-how-you-voted
Especially when you have political machines and bosses:
Britannica Editors. “Political Machine.” Updated February 20, 2026. https://www.britannica.com/topic/political-machine
And this brings us to Edgar Allen Poe:
Poetry Foundation. “Edgar Allan Poe.” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/edgar-allan-poe
It’s one theory:
Geiling, Natasha. “The (Still) Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe.” October 7, 2014. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/still-mysterious-death-edgar-allan-poe-180952936/
The practice of voter fraud that Mack describes was called cooping:
Lapham’s Quarterly. “Miscellany.” https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/democracy/miscellany/man-was-used
The case of Dred Scott v. Sandford:
Urofsky, Melvin I. “Dred Scott Decision.” Updated September 26, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Dred-Scott-decision
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at the time was a guy called Roger Taney:
Schumacher, Alvin J. “Roger B. Taney.” Updated July 9, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Roger-B-Taney
The idea of state’s rights:
Drake, Frederick Dean. “State’s Rights.” Updated August 5, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/states-rights
The Thirteenth,…:
Constitution Annotated. “Thirteenth Amendment.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-13/
…the Fourteenth,…:
Constitution Annotated. “Fourteenth Amendment.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-14/
…and Fifteenth Amendments:
Constitution Annotated. “Fifteenth Amendment.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitu
