After the January 6th capital riot regarding the outcome of the 2020 election, citizens have become divided over the election process, specifically with voting rights.

Many of former President Donald Trump’s supporters feel the election was corrupt and the system of mail in votes led to this corruption. The outcome of the 2020 election made many Trump supporters eager to seek legislation stopping forms of voting they feel led to an unscrupulous win for President Joe Biden.

This backlash from those who supported Trump has stirred up attention amongst voter rights activists who believe the values of the protestors will lead to challenges for those who may not be able to access the polls as easily, such as elderly or disabled voters.

President Biden recently addressed his concerns regarding the anger over the election and vote counting process on January 11, 2022.

“You know, for the right to vote and to have that vote counted is democracy’s threshold liberty. Without it, nothing is possible, but with it, anything is possible,” President Joe Biden said.

Biden discussed his opinion on new legislation that may restrict people’s ability to vote within particular states. Backlash surrounding Georgia’s senator election has also led many Republicans to feel that the current voting system is corrupt.

“Black Americans were denied full citizenship and voting rights until 1965. Women were denied the right to vote until just 100 years ago. The United States Supreme Court, in recent years, has weakened the Voting Rights Act. And now the defeated former president and his supporters use the Big Lie about the 2020 election to fuel torrent and torment and anti-voting laws — new laws designed to suppress your vote, to subvert our elections,” President Biden said.

From limiting the number of drop off locations for ballots and the hours of operation, to making it easier for local election officials to be removed, President Biden fears the Republican party is violating citizens rights.

“Dropping your ballots off to secure drop boxes — it’s safe, it’s convenient, and you get more people to vote. So they’re limiting the number of drop boxes and the hours you can use them,” President Biden said.

President Biden continued his speech scrutinizing the Republican party for their attempts to create new voting laws nationwide that he believes to be undemocratic.

“It’s not just here in Georgia. Last year alone, 19 states not proposed but enacted 34 laws attacking voting rights. There were nearly 400 additional bills Republican members of state legislatures tried to pass. And now, Republican legislators in several states have already announced plans to escalate the onslaught this year,” President Biden said.

President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have faced much scrutiny from members of their own party and voting rights activists for not doing enough to protect their citizens rights.

“Right now in Georgia, organizations are busy fighting attacks against Black voters, Brown voters and voters all throughout the state of Georgia, from election board members to poll closers and even extreme racial gerrymandering,” said James Woodall, former president of the Georgia NAACP, in an interview with CNN. “The legislation that is currently pending both in Congress and the state legislature is our utmost priority and what we need is complete support from this administration to be able to support our democracy.”

Many Republicans have shared their disappointment over misinformation and propaganda they claim President Biden shared in his recent speech. They have also scrutinized the idea of changing rules within the Senate.

“Biden wants to change the Senate rules, so he can federalize elections. He says voting rights are so important the rules of the Senate must be changed. What about the judges who preside over voting rights cases, they’re important too aren’t they?,” Fox News Host Trey Gowdy said.

Biden has proposed getting rid of legislative filibuster within the senate, which republicans say will make elections more federalized. President Biden has been working to gain support from democratic senators who oppose ending the filibuster.

“Make no mistake: Biden’s so-called voting rights legislation is also incredibly toxic and unconstitutional. Now, this bill which would federalize elections enables Democrats in Washington to ban voter ID, clear the way for ballot harvesting and for illegal immigrants to participate in elections,” Sean Hannity, Fox News Host said.

The two parties are divided regarding the voting rights crisis being faced in the senate, with Republicans fear of an increase in voter fraud and false election results and Democrats fearing voting restrictions are taking a step backwards in history, believing that as many voters as possible being able to have access to the ability to vote should be a right.