Partisan Divide Over Whether Voting is a Fundamental Right

by | Jul 23, 2021 | DJ Blogs, Erik | 0 comments

A new poll finds that only 32 percent of Republican voters believe that voting is “a fundamental right.” Above, activists from various grassroots organizations rally outside City Hall in Los Angeles, on July 7, calling on Congress to remove the filibuster and pass the For the People Act to expand voting rights.FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

A new poll out yesterday (July 22nd) found that there’s a partisan divide in the country over whether voting is a “fundamental right.” The Pew Research Center survey found that only 32 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters view voting as a fundamental right for every citizen that shouldn’t be restricted, compared to 78 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters. By contrast, 67 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters viewing voting as a privilege with responsibilities that can be limited, compared to just 21 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters. Overall, 57 percent of Americans view voting as a fundamental right and 42 percent see it as a privilege. The poll comes as Democrats and Republicans are battling over voting, with congressional Democrats trying to pass sweeping federal voting rights legislation as Republicans in many states controlled by their party have been passing more restrictive voting measures.