LJ Schaffnit: Restrictive voting measures is simply rigging the system

To The Daily Sun,

The right to vote is widely considered American democracy's most fundamental, often referred to as sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent instrument for creating a more perfect union. An essential right that requires active protection against suppression.

Witnessing disastrous polling ahead of the midterms, Donald Trump and the GOP have turned to a "redistricting arms race" ― the political gerrymandering of electoral maps in their favor. Trump has ordered conservative governors to redistrict their states in order to carve out additional Republican-leaning congressional districts. These demands reflect Trump's record-low approval ratings and rising unpopularity of his agenda. He is attempting to circumvent the will of the voters by eliminating the accountability elections bring, which is the core element of democracy. This gerrymandering distorts democracy by allowing politicians to choose their voters rather than voters choosing their representatives.

Trump and his allies are tearing apart U.S. democracy through their sensationalist campaign to falsely cast doubt on voting outcomes. They promote baseless fears and fraud and non-citizen voting; all aimed at laying the groundwork for restrictive voting measures and have set off an unprecedented midterm redistricting shuffle.

Emboldened by the April 29 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which weakened voting rights protections for minority communities, Trump, who often rails against "rigged" elections," is more than willing to insist that Republicans rig political maps in their favor prior to the upcoming midterms. Apparently, he is not averse to rigged elections as long as they serve his purposes.

As a nation, we must remain true to its principles; we cannot allow any citizen's vote to be rejected or sullied. The right to vote is the cornerstone of American liberties and we must prevent it from being overshadowed by partisan politics.

L.J. Schaffnit

Gilmanton