Key Terms & Takeaways: Topic A

Hey delegates!

We wanted to highlight some of the key terms and takeaways for topic A, to make researching a little bit easier and help you familiarize yourself with the topic. Topic A is about protecting American democracy which differs greatly from senator to senator. Overall, there are some keywords that all delegates should be familiar with before attending conference. 

Democracy - a system government that represents the entire population of a country through elected representatives

Electoral College - a complex method of indirect popular election of the president of the United States 

Voting Rights - a set of legal and constitutional protections designed to ensure the opportunity to vote

Enfranchisement - the giving of a right or privilege, especially the right to vote. You’ll often hear this contrasted with the phrase “Disenfranchisement”, which is the removal of a right or privilege, especially to vote. 

Filibuster - a purposefully long speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly 

15th Amendment - An amendment to the U.S. Constitution saying that people can not be denied the right to vote based on their race

19th Amendment - An amendment to the U.S. Constitution that expanded the right to vote to women

26th Amendment - An amendment to the U.S. Constitution saying that anyone above the age of 18 can vote in any election

Voting Rights Act (1965) - prohibited any form of racial discrimination in voting, expandingon the 15th amendment 

National Voter Registration Act -  a 1993 bill that required states to offer mail-in registration and allowed people to register to vote at offices such as the DMV in attempts to increase voter registration 

Help America Vote Act - Congress’s response to the controversial 2000 election that required states to update their voting equipment, provisional ballot system, and statewide voter registration lists to make voting more accessible 

Texas Senate Bill 1 -  a bill effective in the state of Texas that enacted voter restrictions such as banning early voting hours and drive thru voters and targeted voting by mail

California Assembly Bill 37 - a bill that made voting more accessible in California by maintaining updated voter lists, registering every ballot, and assuring that every voter would be permanent in the state’s electoral process

This topic also has the potential to cover a lot of corners in the flaws of American democracy so it is important to understand some of its most key takeaways. 

1. The American government is structured in a way to allow for it to constantly change and adapt with contemporary definitions of democracy.

2. Current conflicts within American democracy are due to disagreements on what is more important, relaxed voting restrictions or tighter ballot security. 

3. Dissatisfaction with old fashioned government procedures such as the filibuster and electoral college lead to some feeling that Congress lacks functionality and representation. 

4. In recent years, new forms of voter suppression have risen in commonality in the form of voter ID laws, changing polling locations, and limitations for mail in voting which disenfranchise large portions of communities. 

5. As voter suppression laws increase, other areas of the country increasingly relax their voter restrictions causing a stark divide in what it means to have the right to vote. 

Hopefully, after familiarizing yourself with the key terms and takeaways you feel a little more comfortable with the topic! If you have any further questions or concerns do not hesitate to reach out to us! 

Clara Bardeen and Ruby Chan-Frey, Vice Chairs

Senate, BMUN LXXI