Our Choice: the Freedom to Vote

Abraham Lincoln once said, “The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” Although the strength of voting is commonly overlooked, it is truly one of the most powerful rights out there. Here in America, whether it is a small or large election, everyone’s voice matters. The right to vote gives us, the citizens of the United States, an opportunity to choose the leaders of this country. I’ve always taken a keen interest in politics and elections. Voting is so important to me, because I believe it is the foundation on which the other rights of the constitution were made, and without it, there would not be a democracy. All the rights were a custom in the bill of rights, the first 10 amendments, through a democratic process which depended on the right to vote. This applies to other parts of the Constitution as well. For example, Article 1, Section 2 establishes that the members of the house are to be elected by the people from the several states. Along with the other articles, this section is essentially the framework of the electoral system, because it introduces the concept of democracy. Before the late 1800s, only white men who owned land could vote. However, by 1964, any citizen, who was at least 18 years old, could vote. This was the result of the 15th, 19th, and 24th amendments. Voting has contributed so much to America’s history, because it brought opportunities for people of color and women to be accepted as equals. The freedom to vote stands out among other rights because it is so crucial to our government system today. Simply, if we didn’t have the right to vote, we wouldn't have been able to establish many of the other basic rights in the Constitution.