All Citizens Should Be Able To Vote Essay

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English 102
Ms. Chamberlain
Argument Essay
All citizens should be Able to Vote
In the 2000 presidential election 4.2 million people nationwide were ineligible to vote, these disempowered Americans are former convicts, men and women who have completed their sentences, paroles, and terms of probation (Hull 3). It cannot be expected for felons to integrate back in a society that doesn’t treat them as citizens. As citizen of the USA everyone should be allowed to vote. Being able to elect officials in office that share your beliefs and values is one of the things that make America so great. I always thought the reason for the penal system was for criminals to be punished for their wrong doings and to re-enter society a changed woman or man. I agree that during your time of parole, probation or incarceration you should not be able to vote but after you pay your debt to society, that right should be reinstated. If you are never allowed to vote then your debt to society is never officially been paid. Not being able to vote after your debt back to society is excessive punishment. If America thinks that former convicts cannot be rehabilitated they shouldn’t be …show more content…
Initially, the U.S Constitution didn’t designate who was entitled to vote, the Constitution permitted each state to regulate who was entitled. Although voting is among the most sacred privileges in a democratic society, many Americans did not enjoy that privilege that should have been awarded to all (Clayton, Dewey 42). When the nation was founded in 1789 the right to vote was initially given to mostly white male property owners (Clayton, Dewey 42). Poor white men and women and almost all African American men and women were not allowed to vote in all states (Clayton, Dewey 42). Poor white men and women and almost all of African Americans had to gain the right to vote since it wasn’t given to everyone when this country was
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