IGNITE's Blog

Are you one of the younger Gen Zers who can’t yet vote in general or local elections, and are screaming ‘What about me?’. This post is for you.

During the 1960s, Alabama was at the center of the fight for voting rights yet today, six decades later, it’s still one of the most difficult places to register to vote and cast a ballot. As other states have evolved policies for early voting, voter registration, and vote-by-mail, a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center shows pretty much the opposite in Alabama. 

A presidential election during a global pandemic is just one more challenging circumstance for Americans to navigate in 2020. As a result, several states have expanded absentee voting in the past few months to allow people who are concerned about contracting COVID-19 to vote-by-mail instead of at the polls. However, Tennessee is one of six states that still requires an excuse in order to cast a ballot by mail.

Believe it or not, Wisconsin used to be one of the easiest states to vote in. Other states looked to the Barger State as a golden example of voting. Things have been steadily changing, though. 

Virginia once had the dubious distinction of being called the “second hardest state to vote in.” While it’s still harder to vote in Virginia than some other states, it is making significant progress. 

You're passionate about voting. Usually this time of year you are canvassing, knocking on doors, or hosting voter registration events. This year, you're in Zoom calls for HOURS. Make good use of that time by reminding your classmates or colleagues to #IGNITEtheVote.