b'from a moderate, nonpartisan review, so people feel betterwe must work together to save it. That means ending the represented in the processes they are asked to buy into.my way or the highway approach to politics. We must listen to other points of view to understand where were all Make the voting process easier coming fromoften, we discover we have more similarities Since 1844, Election Day has been the first Tuesday afterthan differences. the first Monday in November. The date is not a State or Federal holiday, polling locations can be confusing, and theWe must demand our congressmen and women report for process to register can lead to more questions than answers.their elected duties ready to work, representing the will and Combined, these factors lead to low voter turnout, whereneeds of the constituents they were elected to represent. electionsaredecidedbylessthanhalfofthecountrysAs we ask them to do their jobs, we must do our jobs as population. For a civic duty that decides the direction of theactive citizenspaying attention to the votes and bills up country, shouldnt it be easier to do? Debra Cleaver, founder,for debate, and participating in discussions, town halls and and CEO of VoteAmerica, says it best: The ability to voteothermeansofcommunicationwithelectedofficialsso is the most crucial component of a functioning democracy. everyone understands the democratic process.In addition to the problems with the voting process, theWe must break the chains of partisanship stringentconstraintsofthetwo-partysystemcanbeaand understand that voting with our problem, as well. Declaring a persons party affiliation limitsdeclared party is not always in the the candidates theyre allowed to vote for. This creates partybestinterestofthecountry.We line and single-issue voters, which puts candidates in officeshould vote on what we believe not because of what they believe or what they plan to do toinmost,whetherthatisan support the country, but because of the party they represent.alignedpartyvoteornot. Theresalsoroomformore Many proponents of the revamp of the voting system arepoliticalpartiesfitting fans of ranked-choice voting (RCV), which allows votersintonarrowdescriptions torankcandidatesinorderofpreferenceregardlessofandbeliefsystemslimitsthe partyaffiliation.Inthisway,voterswouldbefreedtoprogress of our great country. voteformoderatesandindependentswithoutfearing theywouldbeelectingthecandidatetheymostdislike.Finally,wemustallcommit Andpragmatismandflexibilitywouldbeencouragedourselves to be the change we want to because the process would tend to choose the most broadlysee in the world. The United States is appealing candidate, said Larry Diamond, a senior fellowarelativelyyoungcountrycompared attheHooverInstitution,theMosbacherSeniorFellowto others. However, in the years since in Global Democracy at the Freeman Spogli Institute forour founding, the country has grown International Studies (FSI) and a Bass University Fellow into be one of the most powerful and Undergraduate Education at Stanford University. respectedcountriesintheworld. That should be maintained. Whateverchangesmusthappentothevotingsystem should happen quickly. Voting rights are under constantAmericansmaynotrealizehow attackover 440 restrictive bills were introduced duringmuchthoseofusbeyondtheir 2021aloneandtheintegrityofelectionresultsareborders look to the U.S. to lead the being questioned by some of the very people we electeddemocratic world, said Michaela to public office. Before the system erodes into somethingTerenzani, editor-in-chief of The unsalvageable, we must take the steps necessary to preserveSlovak Spectator. But its a truth ourdemocracysmostvaluableresource:thewillofworthremindingmyAmerican its people. friends.Yourcountrycanbe imperfect,butitshouldbeat Work to build the country inthe forefront of putting forward which you want to live ideasthataddressthose No matter what changes are made to the voting, judiciary,imperfectionsandguiding orteam-buildingaspectsofourcountry,wemustallyoung countries like mine toward rememberweliveinademocracyinonecountry,andbecoming more inclusive nations.21'