Voting Rights: The Foundation of Democracy

Why Voting Rights Matter

When eligible citizens vote, they shape not only policy but also the direction of communities, the nature of representation, and the legitimacy of government itself. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) remains a landmark in this regard. Signed to enforce the Fifteenth and Fourteenth Amendments, it sought to end race-based barriers to voting.

Voting is not just a right; it is a mechanism for equality. As the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) puts it, “access to voting is key to systemic equality.” When citizens are denied full participation, the very legitimacy of our democratic system is eroded.

Free and fair elections also help ensure peaceful transitions of power, trust in outcomes, and the accountability of elected officials. If people believe the process is rigged or closed off, then cynicism and disengagement follow—and democracy suffers.

The Threat of Voter Suppression

Yet today we face serious and systemic impediments to voting access. The Brennan Center for Justice documents how, over the past 20 years, states have erected barriers such as stricter voter ID laws, cuts to early voting, burdensome registration restrictions, and aggressive purges of voter rolls.

These aren’t hypothetical issues—they have measurable, long-lasting impacts. One recent study shows that when voters had mail-ballot requests rejected or otherwise blocked, they were significantly less likely to vote in subsequent elections.

Crucially, the harm is not evenly distributed. Voters of color, low-income voters, students, the elderly, and people with disabilities are disproportionately affected. For instance, strict ID laws have been shown to reduce turnout among Black and Latino voters.

Misinformation, intimidation, and election denialism compound the threat—not merely by blocking access but by sapping trust. The rise of election-subversion narratives and aggressive efforts to reshape electoral rules threatens to undermine the entire system of credible elections.

The Stakes Are High

When people can’t vote, the result is not just unfairness—it’s a democracy that doesn’t reflect its people. Policies get made for and by a narrower slice of society, while those excluded may increasingly feel the system doesn’t work for them.

On the flip side, when elections are open, inclusive, and trusted, government is stronger. Civic participation rises. Policies are more likely to reflect the full spectrum of voices. Power is more accountable.

We must recognize that safeguarding voting rights isn’t some abstract value—it has real-world consequences for representation, resources, justice, and legitimacy.

What Needs to Be Done

Protect and Strengthen Federal Safeguards

The originally robust protections of the VRA must be renewed or reinforced. This ensures that discriminatory changes to election laws don’t slip through unchecked.

Remove Unnecessary Barriers to Voting

This means simplifying registration, expanding early voting and vote-by-mail access, protecting polling places in underserved communities, and stopping practices that disproportionately burden certain voters.

Ensure the Process is Transparent, Trustworthy, and Resilient

We must invest in election administration, protect against misinformation and intimidation, and ensure that when the results come in, they are widely accepted as legitimate.

Make Civic Engagement Routine, Not Episodic

Democracy is not only about big presidential years. Sustained access, education, and community mobilization matter every year.

Elevate the Ethic of Inclusion

We need a culture that recognizes voting as a right, not a privilege, and works to guarantee that all eligible citizens can and will exercise it.

A Call to All Citizens

If you believe in a government that listens to all people—not just those with the loudest voices or the easiest access—then you have a stake in this fight. Register. Help others register. Volunteer at the polls. Speak out when you see barriers being erected. Push for reforms in your state or locality.

Because when we protect the vote and our elections, we protect democracy itself. When any one citizen is silenced or sidelined, we all lose. And when every eligible voice is included, we all gain—our government becomes more representative, our society more just, our future more open.

Let us not take for granted the hard-won rights of the past. Indeed, let us renew them for our present and safeguard them for our future.

This is a collective effort to ensure that the promise of “one person, one vote” becomes a reality not just in law, but in practice—for everyone.

In this ongoing journey, we must remember that the fight for voting rights is not just about access; it’s about dignity, respect, and the fundamental belief that every voice matters. Let’s stand together to ensure that our democracy remains vibrant and inclusive for generations to come.