It's really difficult for me to hear people insult those of lower socioeconomic status for not voting or being educated on or involved in politics. I know people who make the same amount as I do but have far more bills and families to support. Employees of organizations like myself are required to save up vacation time and ask off, and those working in restaurants or many retail jobs simply don't get paid for the hours that they don't work. Can we honestly expect them to opt for a potentially unpaid hour or more to go vote? Can you blame people for not concerning themselves with politics when they don’t know if they can pay rent next week or put food on the table? Studies repeatedly show that members of households with lower incomes are less likely to vote.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs ranks certain needs necessary for survival at the bottom. These needs must be met before the person can even consider the needs in the tier above it.

Politics could fall under either the second tier, Safety (unemployment rates, military, fiscal policy) or Esteem (civil duty, sense of responsibility, patriotism). For a person to address either of these needs that would lead them to vote and become involved in politics, though, their basic needs must first be met. It is a systemic issue, not a matter of laziness, if citizens below the poverty line have a consistently low turnout at the polls. Our country needs to not only address the problem of their basic needs not being met, but also recognize voting as a civil duty. When we have to miss work for jury duty, we are paid because we are fulfilling our responsibility as Americans. People who work during voting hours should be awarded the same courtesy, as voting is not only a right but a duty of able American's to contribute to the Democratic process.

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