Voting rights are the legal and constitutional protections that ensure the opportunity to vote in free, fair, and regular elections for representatives of local, state, and federal government. The proportion of adult citizens who exercise this right is a key measure of how democratic a country is. Voting is also the only means by which a citizen can express their opinions and concerns to the elected leaders of their country.
Historically, in the United States, voting rights were determined by state and local laws. These included property qualifications, literacy tests, and religious tests (see suffrage). Free black men, women, immigrants, and nonwhite citizens were frequently denied the franchise; in the 1800s, it was common for property-owning white men to be required to sign loyalty oaths, making them ineligible to vote. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution prohibited this discrimination.
Today, the right to vote is protected by the Constitution, laws, and court decisions. However, gerrymandering, voter intimidation, and other efforts to restrict the number of people eligible to vote have impeded progress. The US needs policies that increase access to voting, including early and mail voting, accessible polling places in the community, and voter registration that doesn’t require an ID. Voting is an important civic duty and everyone should be able to participate.
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