Argument Notes: Literacy Tests Should Be Required for US voters

This is an OCR scan of Jamili’s original notes. It has been lightly edited.

View the report of this argument here.

April 18, 2026

Are there any existing limits on who can vote, i.e. by IQ or competence?
(Vote.gov)

Note: Can only be implemented at the federal level by feds.

Mike – Advocate

  • Basic citizenship literacy should be required.
  • Yes. Then each party would have an incentive to bring up levels of education in their voter base
  • Yes. But citizenship test is random and both parties agree that they are good basic questions.
  • This creates an informed republic. There is a standard to vote — upper classes historically.

Questions & Comments:

  • How would it not be rigged?
  • Rights without responsibilities —
    • It is a responsibility to know how we are governed.
  • Who would administer this law?
  • Role of Education:
    How we fund them. How they are profit centers.
  • Can people study in advance?
  • How will people get certified? Online?
  • Other barriers? Is there a cost?
  • If you can’t vote, do you have to serve the government such as military? Taxes?
  • What if you fail? Is there a chance to retake the test?
  • Citizenship Test Recently Changed: 10 questions increased to 20. Must answer 12 to pass.
  • What does this solve? What is the problem?
  • Does scarcity create demand? Opt in vs. opt out?
  • How do we do voter ID cards?
  • How do European countries do voter IDs?

Geoffrey – Challenger

  1. Voting should be highly valued.
    • How do we raise esteem?
  2. Value is tied to cost.
  3. Time is our most precious resource.
  • Require 2 years of gov’t service such as:
    • Police, Military, anyFederal service, National parks, with low skill level tailored to people.
  • You spend 2 years working in gov’t at a menial task — then you earn the vote.
  • People can test into higher levels of Military service

Questions & Comments

  • Can people test into higher levels of civil service?
  • What’s the link between picking up trash and being knowledgeable about the gov’t?
  • Aren’t we obligated to teach civics in schools and abdicating that?
  • Does this take into account the undeveloped adolescent brain?
  • Does this all assume voting matters?
  • What are the current voter ID laws?
  • What would increase voter participation?
  • Change date off Tuesday.
  • Electronic / vote by phone.

SAVE Act

Requires to register: Documented proof of citizenship, US passport, Birth certificate, certificate of naturalization

Required at polls: photo ID