While the nation watched the inauguration of President Obama, a stone’s throw away in Virginia, the Republicans, who controlled a majority of the state’s House of Representatives, passed a bill that would allow their party an advantage in the next presidential election. The bill would change the electoral districts in the state, creating one majority black district but dispersing the black vote in other places. This change would also be coupled with a change in how the state would award its Electoral College votes.

Last November thousands of voters in Florida waited for hours to cast their vote for the elected offices on the ballot from president to school board members. Many voters expressed feelings of outrage, disgust, and concern over this continued voting traffic jam. Voter ID, registration status, and precinct vote location were some of the main issues of confusion at polls.