The right to vote is a powerful expression of civil rights, giving citizens the opportunity to shape government decisions that affect their communities and lives. But voting can also be a gateway to greater civic engagement, encouraging people to become more informed about political issues and policies, and ultimately work together to create positive change.
It is important to remember that many Americans have fought hard to make the ability to vote a reality. People from communities of color, women and people with disabilities endured significant hardships to ensure that their votes are counted. So when you vote this election, think about all of the efforts that went into making your ability to do so a reality and consider how much easier it is today than in the past. Things like inconvenient polling locations, voter registration requirements and the need for photo IDs are minor compared to the obstacles that past generations of Americans had to overcome to exercise this fundamental right.
Voting rights are a fundamental part of democracy and the foundation for ensuring that every person has an equal voice in their society. In the United States, the Constitution guarantees the right to vote to all citizens regardless of race or gender, and the Supreme Court has struck down rules that discriminate against voters on the basis of age and citizenship status.
In recent years, however, the Supreme Court has worked to narrow the scope of the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act. Its 2013 decision to strike down Section 5 of the VRA, which required localities with a history of discriminatory voting practices to get federal approval before changing their electoral procedures, unleashed a wave of policies that made it harder for some voters to cast ballots.