Stealing Democracy: The New Politics of Voter Suppression [Hardcover]

Spencer Overton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 5, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0393061590 | ISBN-13: 978-0393061598 | Edition: 1

Spencer Overton attacks the least-inspected area of our democracy: partisan control of the ballot box.

While politicians spew shallow sound bites that describe a "free" American people who govern themselves by selecting their representatives, in reality politicians from both parties maintain control by selecting specific voters. Incumbent politicians control thousands of election practices and bureaucratic hurdles that determine who votes and how their votes are counted, including the location of election-district boundaries, the number of booths at urban polling places, and English-only ballots. Spencer Overton uses real-life stories to show how these seemingly insignificant practices channel political power and determine policies on war, schools, clean air, and other issues that shape our lives. He exposes the pressure points in this Orwellian system and provides strategies toward restoring self-government, including removing redistricting power from self-interested partisans and renewing parts of the Voting Rights Act that expire in 2007. Overton's compelling case is vital to the future of our democracy.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Overton takes a wonky but worthy look at the "matrix" of "thousands of election regulations and practices" that can discourage—if not completely suppress—citizens from voting or make their votes count less. A law professor and election reform activist, Overton makes concrete proposals for restoring power to voters. Redistricting, he says, is often conducted in a partisan manner; Overton recommends that the United States assign the responsibility to an independent commission. He calls for federal standards for counting ballots and the provision of voting machines. The much-debated Voting Rights Act, Overton argues, remains vital, though those invoking it should more carefully analyze "practices that disadvantage voters of color." In answer to those bilingual education opponents who might withhold "democracy from Americans with limited English skills," he also argues that bilingual ballots would "advance citizen engagement." Overton warns that a photo ID requirement for voting would exclude those (e.g., the poor, many people of color) who don't have driver's licenses. Citing relatively low voter turnout and lack of centralized election oversight, the author notes how the United States "deviates from democratic norms" of other established democracies, concluding with profiles of activists to inspire the citizens' movement needed to enact the sensible reforms he advocates. (June)
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Review

A must-read for anyone who is concerned about our deeply flawed electoral system. -- Congressman John Conyers, Jr.

A through, brilliant and impartial assessment of continuing problems at the ballot box. -- Donna Brazile, author of Cooking with Grease : Stirring the Pots in American Politics

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton; 1 edition (June 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393061590
• ISBN-13: 978-0393061598
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #910,308 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a law professor at George Washington University, and I teach courses in voting rights and campaign finance. I served as a commissioner on the Jimmy Carter-James Baker Commission on Federal Election Reform, and dissented from the Commission's proposal for photo ID at the polls. I'm also a member of the boards of Common Cause, Demos, and the Center for Responsive Politics.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What the Supreme Court Should Be Reading ... Overton's Stealing Democracy, June 29, 2006

By 

Walter Mosley "Walter" (Detroit, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stealing Democracy: The New Politics of Voter Suppression (Hardcover)

Overton tells us in plain language how the working class and the poor are being eliminated from the political process. Interestingly, he is able to cast the old stories of poll taxes and lynchings in a 21st century surround-sound format. Using real-life examples from the lives of real people, Overton illustrates how certain people are stealing the country right from under our own noses. I certainly believe the Supreme Court could have benefitted greatly from reading his "how to rig an election" chapter before deciding the recent Texas gerrymandering case. Spencer's point ... Voters should choose politicians, politicians should not be choosing the voters!!!!

His parallel of this country's voting system to the "matrix" is also quite brilliant. If some of the new restrictions that Overton warns us about takes place, we will need the powers of the Oracle, Neo, Morpheus, and Trinty just to be able to cast a vote (and more importantly make it count). If you are serious about voting rights or if you just want to be able to predict the outcomes of the 2006 mid term elections, this book is a must read. I highly recommend it to all audiences.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fascinating read, July 7, 2006

By 

Joshua A. H. Harris "enviro attorney" (Berkeley, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stealing Democracy: The New Politics of Voter Suppression (Hardcover)

Mr. Overton's insightful, eye-opening presentation of critical and often overlooked problems with America's system of voting and democratic representation is a must-read for political science students, law students, and, quite frankly, anyone who votes (and wants his or her vote to count). Stealing Democracy is comprehensible, elegant, and highly stimulating.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The kind of information EVERY American voter needs to know!, June 18, 2006

By 

S. Divers "shrdiv" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stealing Democracy: The New Politics of Voter Suppression (Hardcover)

I highly recommend this powerful book! American voters are inundated with superficial corporate media reports that tap dances across the surface of complex issues like the health of American democracy, our elections and immigration.

Spencer Overton's highly readable "Stealing Democracy" explores what is really going on behind the curtains of our American democracy in our local communities, the state and national level. And it is chilling. But it is the kind of frank discussion that the American public needs to read so that we will be in a better position to get involved as citizens and exert a truer ownership over our own government that has so much daily influence on our lives.

I particularly appreciated how Professor Overton looks back at the historical roots of voter suppression in our American political system dating back to the early 1800s. The more things change, the more they stay the same: He examines gerry-mandering, the English-only Movement, voter registration purging, Voter ID legislation, and all the other ways that politicians continue to try to discourage those people that aren't inclined to vote for them to stay home on Election Day.

Professor Overton also looks at the chilling ways in which the venerable Voting Rights Act of 1965 is currently under attack by the right wing.

Today it is obvious to whomever is paying attention that there is a sustained effort to turn the clock way back on voter enfranchisement for the elderly, the poor, people of color and the handicapped.

Enlighten yourself on the new politics of voter suppression and how we can stop it: Read this book and recommend it to your friends as well!