Fair elections
I am asking voters to vote yes to an amendment on the Illinois Constitution that would stop people from being denied the right to vote because of their race, color, ethnicity, status as a member of a minority, gender, sexual orientation or income. This amendment will be on the November ballot.
Illinois citizens have a duty to uphold our reputation as a fair state that gives everyone a chance to participate in voting.
Some states across the country have already imposed laws that make it hard for some people to vote. These states require voters to have a proof of citizenship. These documents can be expensive and hard to get.
This amendment to our constitution would stop laws like these to be made in our state.
Other states that have passed voter ID laws say that they passed these laws to prevent election fraud. It is easy to see that this is just an excuse for a bill that tries to make it harder for minorities to take part in elections.
To keep future elections fair, we have to ensure that everyone has a say in elections.
— Eli Lieberman, seventh grader, Wilmette Junior High
Voter ID laws
Voter ID laws protect the honor of our democracy.
These laws were created to ensure the integrity of elections.
All Americans who are qualified to vote should definitely have the opportunity to vote, but their ballots should not be diluted by fake voting. Voter ID laws increase the public’s confidence in election results and reduce the risk of fraudulent votes.
Some examples of fraudulent votes include voting under fictitious names, voting in the names of dead voters, double-voting by people registered in more than one state and voting by those who are in the United States illegally.
Most Americans have photo IDs; the few who do not can easily get ones.
The proposed amendment is a smoke screen; of course no voters should be denied the right to express their voices based on minority status. But just because people need an ID in order to vote does not mean the voter ID laws are denying people the right to vote and are discriminating against minorities.
When people check IDs, they are not looking to see how much someone earns, or what sexual orientation the person is, or the person’s ethnicity. They are only verifying that the person is a real, official person of the United States.
The proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution should not be passed. Voter ID laws are an important part of the voting process and are there to protect, not to harm in any way.
— Rachel Hsu, seventh grader, Wilmette Junior High
Constitutional amendment
I am writing about the proposed constitutional amendment that is being added to the Illinois ballot in November. This amendment stops voters from being denied the right to register to vote or cast a ballot based on race, color, ethnicity, status as a member of a minority, sexual orientation, sex or income. Although I am not yet old enough to vote, I wholeheartedly believe that this amendment should be passed.
There are many reasons why this amendment should be passed. It is a U.S. constitutional amendment that no one should be denied the right to vote. The U.S. government and constitution are entirely based on equality and sharing all of the power. If this proposed amendment gets voted down, then Illinois voters might be required to have identification to vote and could be denied their right to vote based on reasons that are entirely irrelevant.
This is a pointless practice that would target minorities and be entirely based on racism and sexism, which are two things that the United States is uniquely known for opposing. Denying anyone his or her right to vote goes against the founding principles and values of our country.
Some would say that voting fraud is not a common occurrence, and that nobody would deny another person his or her right to vote for selfish purposes. This may be true at the moment, but despite our best efforts, racism still exists, and it is possible that if Illinois voters need to have identification to vote, they could be turned away for arbitrary reasons.
— Lexie Kaplan, seventh grader, Wilmette Junior High
