Why the Election System is Broken and Has Been Since the 1800s:
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11/4/20253 min read
Why the Election System is Broken and Has Been Since the 1800s:
Not an Opinion… a History Lesson
By Maurice Woodson - November 4, 2025
When we talk about America’s “broken” election system, most people point to recent decades — to gerrymandering, voter suppression, dark money, or the chaos of modern campaigns. But the truth is, this system didn’t just break. It was built this way. And the cracks go back centuries.
Did you know that in the late 1800s — not the 2000s — over 2,000 Black men were elected to public office in America? From local mayors and sheriffs to state legislators and members of Congress, these were men who had survived or were the children of those who survived enslavement. They ran for office and won — not by magic, but by mobilizing communities across race and class lines.
When the People’s Voice Was Actually Heard
After the passage of the Reconstruction Acts and the Fifteenth Amendment, which granted Black men the right to vote, a wave of political change swept across the South. Freedmen and their allies ran for office on platforms that prioritized the everyday struggles of working people — fair wages, education, food security, and land rights.
Their message resonated because it was universal. They weren’t running on race. They were running for justice, dignity, and equality — for everyone. In a short period, Black political leadership reshaped state governments and inspired a vision of multiracial democracy that could have transformed America for good.
But that vision terrified the white elite — the planters, the industrialists, and the politicians whose power depended on racial hierarchy and cheap labor.
How They Broke the System
In response, those elites did what elites always do when power starts shifting away from them — they changed the rules.
White mobs terrorized Black voters. Laws were rewritten to block access to the ballot. Literacy tests, poll taxes, grandfather clauses, and outright violence pushed thousands of Black leaders out of office. Many were never sworn in. Some were assassinated. Others were run out of town.
This wasn’t just about silencing Black political power. It was about locking in a system where only those approved by the wealthy and powerful could participate. That meant not only excluding Black Americans but also poor whites, immigrants, and women. By the late 19th century, America had returned to what it always preferred — an oligarchy disguised as a democracy.
Fast Forward: Same Game, New Tools
The Reconstruction era may be long over, but the playbook hasn’t changed. The names are different, the methods are modernized, but the mission is the same: protect power, maintain hierarchy, and keep the working class divided.
Today, billionaires and corporate donors control elections through Super PACs, dark money networks, and algorithmic manipulation. Campaigns cost millions. Debates are sponsored by conglomerates. Candidates are “viable” only if they can fundraise — not if they can relate.
Meanwhile, voter intimidation, disinformation, and partisan gerrymandering still suppress Black and brown voices. MAGA-era politics — led by Trump and his oligarch backers — have revived the same tactics used to dismantle Reconstruction: fear, lies, and violence dressed up as “patriotism.”
America’s democracy didn’t fall apart overnight. It was systematically dismantled the moment it began to include everyone.
So How Do We Fix It?
If we want a democracy that actually works for the people, not just the powerful, we have to rebuild it from the ground up — free from the grip of money, manipulation, and elitism.
Here’s what that looks like:
End billionaire interference. No donors, no PACs, no dark money. Everyone gets one vote — and only one vote.
Criminalize bribery and political favors. Influence should never be for sale.
Guarantee equal campaign access. Free, fair, and equal airtime for all candidates, regardless of wealth or party.
Test civic competency. Every candidate must pass a standardized test on civics, civil rights, and the Constitution before they can run.
Secure digital voting. If we can file taxes and bank securely online, we can vote securely online — with transparent, real-time counts.
Independent election management. No party affiliations. No conflicts of interest.
End gerrymandering. Let voters choose their leaders — not the other way around.
Abolish the Electoral College. Every vote should count equally, period.
Rethink political parties. Maybe it’s time to end them altogether. Party loyalty has replaced moral conscience.
If America can host a talent show where millions of people vote freely and instantly on live TV through apps and online, but can’t guarantee a fair political election or make it so all can easily vote, the problem isn’t technology — it’ runs much deeper.
A System Built to Exclude Can Never Be Repaired — Only Replaced
The system isn’t broken because it fails. It’s broken because it works exactly as it was designed — to protect white supremacy, elitism, and control.
But history also tells us this: when the people — all people — stand up, organize, and demand fairness, even the oldest systems can be forced to change. The first Reconstruction showed us what’s possible. Maybe it’s time for another.