Today, it seems there’s very little on which people agree. Pessimism over political polarization has left many Americans believing there’s not much that can be done to bring the country back together. In short, our political system is broken. That’s the bad news. The good news is that, regardless of political beliefs, nearly everyone agrees on this point.
Though it often doesn’t feel like it, there are many issues supported by people on all sides of the political spectrum. In fact, a recent YouGov article highlighted 100 policies backed by both Republicans and Democrats. My goal in this column, and the four that will follow, is to explore how we can fix our political system by focusing on specific policies that everyone agrees on.
Before we can make progress fixing the system, we must first make it easier for people to vote. Despite historically high voter turnout in the 2020 and 2024 elections (66% and 64%, respectively), nearly 90 million eligible voters still didn’t go to the polls. The most common reason among those aged 18–44 was “too busy/conflicting schedule” (Census), which was also the second most common reason for voters 45 and older. Making voting more convenient could bring roughly 15.5 million additional voters to the polls—returning us to pre-1900 levels of participation.
There are two simple ways to do this. The first would be to make Election Day a national holiday. The good news is everyone likes this idea – 74% of Republicans and 75% of Democrats. So why hasn’t it happened yet? There are, of course, some drawbacks. Lower-income workers could lose wages if their businesses close. If schools close but businesses remain open, working parents may struggle to find childcare. And greater turnout could mean longer lines. These are legitimate concerns that make this an imperfect solution. Fortunately, there’s a second option.
A more effective approach would be to allow in-person voting over a two-week period. Again, this idea enjoys bipartisan support (71% of Republicans and 89% of Democrats) and avoids the downsides noted above. Under this plan, registered voters could cast ballots at any time during the two-week window (including on weekends), at their convenience. Businesses and schools could remain open, avoiding wage loss or childcare issues. The main challenges are cost and logistics — keeping polling places open longer and staffing them appropriately. But few things are more important, or more American, than voting. Isn’t that worth the additional cost?
Some critics argue that early voting prevents people from changing their minds if late revelations occur. The solution is simple: be fully informed before you vote. And if someone has important information about a candidate, they shouldn’t wait until the last possible moment to release it.
Unfortunately, Mississippi is one of only three states that does not allow early in-person voting in any form. Eight states conduct their elections entirely by mail, thirteen allow in-person absentee voting (meaning voters must provide a valid reason to vote early), and the remaining states permit some form of early in-person voting – though the rules vary in terms of timing, weekend access, and location convenience.
Ultimately, the first step toward repairing our political system is getting more citizens involved in it. Making voting more uniformly convenient—something Americans of all political persuasions can agree on—is an easy and meaningful start. Not only would these changes increase participation, they would also send a powerful message: the government and society value your voice and your vote. Will these reforms solve every problem or eliminate polarization overnight? No. But a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step—and the journey of fixing our political system should start with this step.
Dr. Raymond E. Barranco is professor of sociology at Mississippi State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Sociology from Louisiana State University, and his work has been published in multiple criminology and sociology journals. Dr. Barranco invites readers to send feedback and sociology-related questions you’d like him to address in this space to [email protected].
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