VOA慢速英语2018--美国投票监督问题之争

The Debate over Voting Restrictions¹ in America

Former United States President Jimmy Carter has travelled the world observing elections to find out if they are fair.

Carter also is a former Democratic governor in the American state of Georgia. Now he is turning attention to an election in his home state. He is asking Republican candidate for governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, to resign from his current position as secretary of state.

As secretary of state, Kemp oversees³ the state’s elections, including his own for governor against Democrat² Stacey Abrams.

Carter wrote, “Popular confidence is threatened not only by the undeniable racial discrimination of the past…but also because you are now overseeing the election in which you are a candidate.”

He added in a personal letter sent to Kemp, “I urge you to step aside and hand over to a neutral authority the responsibility of overseeing the governor’s election.”

Carter has offered his support to Abrams.

In a recent debate with Abrams, Kemp said that local officials run the elections process. However, Kemp’s critics have accused him of using his office to make it harder for minorities and other Democratic Party supporters to vote.

They said Kemp’s office held up 53,000 voter registrations⁵ under the state’s new law for registration⁴ by mail. Under the law, a misspelling or a difference between a family name and a married name can cause a registration to be rejected.

Kemp answered that he is carrying out state law. He also said those would-be voters could still vote if they present acceptable identification to clear up doubts. Kemp’s Republican supporters accused Abrams and the Democrats⁶ of wanting to give voting rights to illegal immigrants in advertising⁷ seen around the state.

Voting restrictions in America

The state of Georgia is not the only American state with new laws that, critics say, make it harder for people to vote.

The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School says that 24 states passed voting measures after the 2010 election. The center studies issues including voting rights and campaign reform in America.

The group reported that 13 states have passed restrictive voter identification laws. Eleven states have laws that make it harder for citizens to register. Seven states have reduced early voting. And three states have passed laws making it harder to restore voting rights to people who have committed crimes.

The U.S. Supreme⁸ Court recently declined to block a North Dakota law requiring voters to show identification with current street addresses. Activists⁹ argued that the law could prevent 19,000 Native Americans who live on reservations from voting because they often lack street addresses.

In Kansas, the American Civil Liberties Union is bringing legal action against local officials for moving the only voting place outside of Dodge¹⁰ City. The group says the move makes it harder for the city’s Hispanic population to vote. The city also sent new voters, mainly Hispanics, the wrong address.

Kansas, along with Tennessee, Arizona, Alabama and Georgia, have also passed laws requiring proof of citizenship¹¹ in order to register to vote. The laws are being considered by courts.

Voter fraud

Supporters of the voting restrictions say that these measures are necessary to prevent unlawful voting. And they say the new laws increase public trust in the electoral process.

In 2017, President Donald Trump¹² created a commission to study the issue of unlawful voting. After the 2016 presidential election, Trump had said that millions of illegal ballots¹³ had been completed.

The commission, however, ended its work a year later without finding evidence of widespread illegal voting.

I’m Mario Ritter.

Words in This Story

confidence –n. a feeling of being certain that something will happen or that it is true

authority –n. people who have power to make decisions and enforce rules and laws

reservations –n. an area of land in the U.S. that is kept separate as a place for Native Americans to live

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

4 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

5 registrations   

n.登记( registration的名词复数 )；登记项目；登记（或注册、挂号）人数；（管风琴）音栓配合（法）

参考例句：

• In addition to the check-in procedures, the room clerks are customarily responsible for recording advance registrations. 除了办理住宿手续外，客房登记员按惯例还负责预约登记。 来自辞典例句
• Be the Elekta expert for products registrations in China. 成为在中国注册产品的医科达公司专家。 来自互联网

6 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

8 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

9 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 dodge   

v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计

参考例句：

• A dodge behind a tree kept her from being run over.她向树后一闪，才没被车从身上辗过。
• The dodge was coopered by the police.诡计被警察粉碎了。

11 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

12 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

13 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》