Constitution Day

Gives a theoretical and historical account of the practice of felon disenfranchisement. It demonstrates that the history of felon disenfranchisement, rooted in postslavery restrictions on suffrage and the contemporaneous emergence of the modern "American" penal system,
and reveals the deep connections between two political institutions often thought to be separate.
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5.4 million Americans--1 in every 40 voting age adults-- are denied the right to participate in democratic elections because of a past or current felony conviction. In several American states, 1 in 4 black men cannot vote due to a felony conviction. What are the consequences of large-scale disenfranchisement--both for election outcomes, and for public policy more generally? Locked Out reveals the centrality of racial factors in the origins of these laws, and their impact on politics today.
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A concerted effort is underway to gain acceptance for, and implement, the idea that the United States should allow new immigrants to vote without becoming citizens. Renshon provides a careful analysis of the arguments put forward by advocates of this position on the basis of fairness, increasing democracy, civic learning, and moral necessity.
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Examines numerous incidents in which election reforms have, whether intentionally or accidentally, harmed the quality and experience of democracy. This includes the introduction of secret balloting in 1890s Arkansas, which deliberately stripped black citizens of the power to vote. By understanding how even good-faith efforts to improve corrupt or flawed electoral practices may impede the democratic process, The Hidden Costs of Clean Election Reform suggests new ways to help prevent future breaches of democracy.
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Examines the history of how U.S. election reforms have been manipulated for partisan advantage and establishes a new framework for analyzing current laws and policies. Wang identifies and describes a number of specific legitimate and positive reforms that will increase voter turnout.
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Demonstrates that neighborhoods segregated along economic lines create conditions that encourage high levels of political activity among wealthier citizens while discouraging and impeding the poor from similar forms of civic engagement. Increasing economic segregation denies low-income citizens the civic and social resources vital for political mobilization and participation. Over time, this creates a balance of political power that is dramatically skewed toward entire neighborhoods with more economic resources.
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