iCitizenForum by Colonial Williamsburg

One of the fundamental principles of democracy is that to secure inalienable (aka innate, inherent intrinsic) rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the Consent of the Governed. Consent of the Governed is typically sought through open,free, fair, equal, and regular general elections. The agreement or "social contract", is that, subject to protection of basic rights, the minority will agree to abide by the consensus of the majority. This presumes, however, complete participation. When complete participation or "universal suffrage" is not provided for, there is a group which may be called an "excluded caste", from whom consent is not sought, often not wanted, and not accepted. This degrades the legitimacy of the "just power" that the government exercises over its citizens.

In the specific case of the United States, additions to the voting population have been scattered and piecemeal. White males over 21 were the first major component of the voting population. In 1820, non-whites were first counted as whole persons (the Missouri Compromise); in 1870, non-white males were allowed to vote; in 1920, women were allowed to vote; in 1970, 18-21-year-olds were allowed to vote. Other than these 50-year intervals, other potential voting populations such as indigenous Americans, mentally disabled citizens, children, criminals, legal aliens, residents of the District of Columbia, and residents of other territories and outlying possessions are all handled, if at all, in a piecemeal fashion.

If there is an overwhelmingly compelling governmental interest in denying the opportunity to grant or withhold Consent by certain of the Governed (ie, denial of voting rights), that interest needs to be consistently and compellingly expressed. The right to vote should be defined affirmatively and consistently across the board by Constitutional Amendment, rather than in the negative and in piecemeal fashion as it currently is handled.