We applaud U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren for adding her voice of support to voting rights for Americans living in Guam and other U.S. territories. She said citizens in the territories are treated like “second-class citizens” because they can’t vote in presidential elections, aren’t represented in the Senate and only have a nonvoting delegate in Congress. “I just have to say this is absurd,” Warren said at a hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in Washington, D.C., earlier this week. “Four million Americans live on American soil and can only participate in our democracy, but only if they leave home. At their homes — on U.S. soil — all of their representation rights disappear.”
The promise of equal voting rights remains unfulfilled for all Americans. U.S. citizens in Guam and the other territories can’t vote for president. We have no representative in the Senate. Our delegate in the House of Representatives can’t vote.
The hallmark of our government is that it is of, for and by the people. We, the people, decide who will represent us in government, including who will serve us as president — unless you are a U.S. citizen residing in Guam or one of the other territories.
Full Article: OUR VIEW: All American citizens should have the same voting rights.