Who Should Vote: The Principle of Affect

"Following our good dead friend Aristotle, democracy is rule of the people (demos). Once a democratic form of government is chosen, then there is the matter of sorting out which people will do the ruling and how they will be selected. In the United States (which is technically a republic) a practical issue of democracy is determining who gets to vote. Those familiar with United States history know that the categories of people who can vote has grown and shrunk over time."

"In 1868 the 14th Amendment granted full citizenship and voting rights to all men born or naturalized in the United States. In 1870 the 15th Amendment eliminated some of the racial barriers to voting, but many states used various tactics to suppress voters. In 1920 the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote and in 1924 the right was extended to native Americans. In 1971 the 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18."

Voting eligibility in the United States changed dramatically from white male landowners to broader inclusion through constitutional amendments and legislation. The 14th, 15th, 19th, and 26th Amendments expanded citizenship and suffrage while Native Americans gained rights in 1924. States continued to use tactics to suppress voters despite formal prohibitions. Recent political efforts seek to restrict voting access, often justified by false claims of widespread 2020 fraud. Philosophical questions remain about principled criteria for voting eligibility, including geographic residency, election-specific boundaries, and age limits, and whether status-based principles can provide a defensible rule for who should vote.

Read at A Philosopher's Blog