Is voter suppression a big issue in US politics?

A record mid term turnout still had less than 50% voting and this is scarily low in a democracy. I've read about all sorts of logistical problems: hour long lines and machines but I working etc. Also, it is harder to register to vote than in other countries, with struct ID laws and life bans for ex felons. Gerrymandered Congress districts and two Senators for every state regardless of population seem ridiculous to me.

How can such an inbalanced and weird system decide so much?

Is this by accident or design?

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MethDozer · M

Gerrymandering doesn't affect turnout.

Even in New York were voting is as easier than buying cigarettes the turnout, especially in non Presidential elections is not that great.

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@MethDozer It doesn't affect turnout directly but its another problem IMO

MethDozer · M

@Burnley123 Eh, there is an up and down to it. Either way I was just saying. SOmeof those things listed have no impact on voter turnout.

I only voted in two states. NY and California and in both states it is almost too easy. It's almost scary how easy it is to go in and just say who you are and vote. So I honestly don't know what it is like in states where so many say it is fucked up.

bijouxbroussard · F

@MethDozer In the South they’ve closed polling places arbitrarily, removed people from voter rolls without notifying them, required several pieces of identification in [b]certain[/b] districts and even required people to take “tests” before [b]allowing[/b] them to register. I first voted in Georgia, while in college there. A [b]group[/b] of us went to register downtown and the folks were [b]not[/b] happy to see us. Girls who came in from Agnes Scott were treated very differently.

MethDozer · M

@bijouxbroussard I know it screwed up in some places. Just sayin' where I have voted it so vastly different it is hard to wrap my head around it. I just hear what people such as yourself say they had to deal with it, but being so far removed I don't have much understand of the intricacies.
It boggles the mind to someone outside of that how it can even take place or exactly how it works.