Uploaded February 2023 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
Vail Symposium - Conversations on Controversial Issues moderated by Clay Jenkinson
The ideal in a democracy is that every citizen over 18 years old is entitled to vote. State legislatures should devise sensible and efficient and convenient ways to enable every citizen to cast a vote, irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, zip code or economic status.
However, we have learned that when there are irregularities, last-minute changes to voting procedures or poll decisions made by unelected bureaucrats, the legitimacy of the election may be called into question.
How do we avoid tarnishing the legitimacy of an election? By ensuring that voting procedures are clear and consistent. Voter laws should be scrutinized to make sure they do not have unintended consequences of discouraging or restricting all legitimate citizens from voting. To ensure a fair election, automatic recounts, audits and paper backups need to be adopted in every precinct. Although voter fraud is rare in the United States, penalties for voter fraud should be stiff. People need to feel that their vote counts, that the voting systems are secure and perfectly accurate, and that they will not be turned away from the polls for some arbitrary reason.
These would seem to be simple and straightforward ideals, but recent experience has shown that not everyone agrees with them. Join our moderator, humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson, and a panel of guest presenters, including jouranlist Erin Geiger Smith and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Research at University of Colorado Doug Spencer, as they examine voting rights in America.
Vail Symposium - Conversations on Controversial Issues moderated by Clay Jenkinson
The ideal in a democracy is that every citizen over 18 years old is entitled to vote. State legislatures should devise sensible and efficient and convenient ways to enable every citizen to cast a vote, irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, zip code or economic status.
However, we have learned that when there are irregularities, last-minute changes to voting procedures or poll decisions made by unelected bureaucrats, the legitimacy of the election may be called into question.
How do we avoid tarnishing the legitimacy of an election? By ensuring that voting procedures are clear and consistent. Voter laws should be scrutinized to make sure they do not have unintended consequences of discouraging or restricting all legitimate citizens from voting. To ensure a fair election, automatic recounts, audits and paper backups need to be adopted in every precinct. Although voter fraud is rare in the United States, penalties for voter fraud should be stiff. People need to feel that their vote counts, that the voting systems are secure and perfectly accurate, and that they will not be turned away from the polls for some arbitrary reason.
These would seem to be simple and straightforward ideals, but recent experience has shown that not everyone agrees with them. Join our moderator, humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson, and a panel of guest presenters, including jouranlist Erin Geiger Smith and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Research at University of Colorado Doug Spencer, as they examine voting rights in America.
