essay on topic vote

Why Voting Is Important

“Voting is your civic duty.” This is a pretty common sentiment, especially each November as Election Day approaches. But what does it really mean? And what does it mean for Americans in particular?

Social Studies, Civics, U.S. History

Americans Voting

Typically in the United States, national elections draw large numbers of voters compared to local elections.

Hill Street Studios

Today, most American citizens who are 18 or over are entitled to vote in federal and state elections , but that was not always the case. The United States Constitution did not originally define who could or could not vote. It did, however, establish how voting would take place for certain positions in the new federal government.

Article 1 of the Constitution states that members of the House of Representatives would be elected directly by popular vote . Senators were originally chosen by state legislatures, but the 17th Amendment in 1913 changed that. Senators are now also directly elected by the people in a state.

The president, however, is not chosen by a direct vote but rather by a group known as the Electoral College . Each state has a certain number of delegates to the Electoral College , based on its population. During the election , when one person wins the popular vote in a state, he or she win the electoral votes for that state. (Maine and Nebraska do things a little differently). Once all of the votes are in, whichever candidate has the majority of electoral votes wins the election and becomes president. If one person does not have the majority, then the House of Representatives votes on who will become president.

Expanding Voting Rights Took Hundreds Of Years

When the Constitution was written, the question of who could vote was mostly left to the states. Through the early 1800s, only white male landowners were allowed to vote, while women, Black people, and other disadvantaged groups were not. Being denied the right to vote is called disenfranchisement .

It was not until the 15th Amendment in 1870 that Black men were given the right to vote. Even then, Black men faced difficulties when they tried to vote, such as poll taxes , literacy tests, and other measures.

These discriminatory practices would not end until the 1960s. In 1964, the 24th Amendment made poll taxes illegal. The next year, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 ended Jim Crow segregation laws.

The Passage Of The 19th Amendment

American women were disenfranchised until 1920. That year, the long struggle of the women's suffrage movement resulted in the 19th Amendment. However, Black women would continue to face many obstacles to vote even after the 19th Amendment.

With the removal of barriers based on race and sex, most all American citizens over the age of 21 could vote by the mid 1960s. In 1971, the American voting age was lowered to 18. At that time, many Americans felt if you were old enough to serve your country in the military, then you should be allowed to vote. The voting age still stands at 18 today. Many more Americans have voting rights now than in our Founding Fathers' day.

Does My Vote Really Make A Difference?

Do you sometimes think one person's vote cannot make much of a difference? Two of the closest elections in U.S. history might make you think again.

In 2000, Al Gore narrowly lost the Electoral College vote to George W. Bush. The election came down to a recount in Florida. In the end, Bush won Florida by 0.009 percent of the votes cast in the state, or 537 votes. If 600 more pro-Gore voters went to the polls in Florida that November, the election may have turned out differently. There may have been a different president from 2001-2009.

More recently, Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016 with an Electoral College win of 304 to 227. The election did not come down to a handful of votes in one state as it did in 2000. Clinton actually won the national popular vote by nearly three million votes, but Trump got enough electoral votes to become president.

Trump won the popular vote in key areas of "swing" states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Like most states, these have a "winner take all" system. That means the popular vote winner gets all the state's electoral votes. The loser gets none. In 2016, the Electoral College decided a tight race.

Voter Impact In Smaller Elections

One voter may not directly elect the president. But if that vote is combined with others in a particular voting district or county it can definitely matter in a close election.

There are also local and state elections to consider. Presidential or other national elections usually get a significant voter turnout. Local elections, on the other hand, are usually decided by a much smaller group of voters.

Low turnout means that important elections, like those of a mayor or a city councilor, are decided by a limited group of voters. It is also true that local issues, such as those about schools or parks, can be decided by a small number of voters. In local elections even a single vote may be meaningful.

Be Active In Politics Before You Vote

If you are not yet 18, or are not a U.S. citizen, you can still participate in the election process. You may not be able to walk into a voting booth, but there are things you can do to get involved:

Be informed. Read up on political issues (both local and national) that are important to you and figure out where you stand.

Get out and talk to people. Even if you cannot vote, you can still voice opinions on social media, in your school newspaper, or in other public forums.

Volunteer. Work on a campaign to support a particular candidate. You can help with phone calls, door-to-door outreach, writing postcards, volunteering at campaign headquarters, etc. Your work can help get a candidate elected, even if you are not able to vote yourself.

Participating in free elections is one of the most important rights in American life. Many people in countries around the world do not have the same freedom, nor did many Americans in centuries past. No matter what you believe or whom you support, it is important to exercise your rights.

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Related Resources

Voting in American Politics: A Syllabus

From battles to expand the franchise to the mysteries of turnout, voting is one of the most important things to understand about U.S. politics.

Even though it’s a cornerstone of representative democracy in U.S. politics, the right to vote expanded very slowly—and not without a fight in most cases. Today, voting is still contested, as some states have limited the franchise through redistricting, closing polling places, requiring official ID to vote, and other means.

Every time we get ready for an election, voting is on our minds. But those thoughts can be vague and lack historical and political context. With this syllabus, we hope to provide motivation to learn more—and to turn out!

Elections and Power

Voting and governing are different things, but both entail power. Our election system reflects that, but elections themselves can be convoluted processes in themselves.

Why Do We Vote by Secret Ballot?

Electoral College 101

Time for Reform of the Electoral College?

Is Gerrymandering to Blame for Our Polarized Politics?

Enfranchisement Is the Only Route to Security

Why Do They Build Party Platforms, Anyway?

Just How Unrepresentative Are the Iowa Caucuses?

The Accidental Presidents of the United States

The Midterms That Changed America

“It’s the psychology, stupid.” What really decides elections?

Ballot Position: It Matters

Fighting for the right to vote.

It took a Civil War for Black men to get the right to vote. Millions were enfranchised when women got the vote in 1920, but Black women were mostly excluded from voting due to legal discrimination. Removing these injustices took both organizing and militance.

The Voting Rights Act at 50

Susan B. Anthony on Her Revolutionary Foremothers

Free Love and the First Female Presidential Nominee

The Significance of Shirley Chisholm’s Presidential Campaign

New Jersey Let (Some) Women Vote from 1776 to 1807

Revisiting Reconstruction

Race Has Always Affected the Vote

How Women’s Suffrage Has Been Represented in American Film

The Voting Rights Act 1965: Annotated

Voting Rights for People Convicted of Felonies

Who are voters.

Political scientists puzzle over the question for good reason: understanding voters, and voting, provides the kind of knowledge that can help citizens access the polls and exercise the kind of power that voting gives them.

How to Get People to Vote

Creating the Voter Fraud Myth

The Case for Lowering the Voting Age

Would Formerly Incarcerated People Vote Democratic?

How Class Conflicts Determine Voter Turnout

Who Are the Independent Voters?

Lawrence Lessig: How to Repair Our Democracy

Editors’ Note: This post was originally published on August 6, 2020 and has been updated with new stories October 28, 2020.

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Home — Essay Samples — Government & Politics — Voting — All Voices Count: Why Voting is Important

All Voices Count: Why Voting is Important

• Categories: Civil Rights Compulsory Voting Voting

About this sample

Words: 974 |

Published: Jan 28, 2021

Words: 974 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, historical context and the struggle for suffrage, safeguarding democracy and civic engagement, inclusivity and representation in governance, works cited.

• Ahrens, F. L. (2019). Voting rights in America: Examining the issue. ABC-CLIO.
• Browne-Marshall, G. (2017). The voting rights war: The NAACP and the ongoing struggle for justice. Rowman & Littlefield.
• Gilens, M. (2012). Affluence and influence: Economic inequality and political power in America. Princeton University Press.
• Keyssar, A. (2020). Why do we still have the Electoral College?. Harvard University Press.
• Lippmann, W. (2017). Public opinion. Routledge.
• McAdam, D., Tarrow, S., & Tilly, C. (2020). Dynamics of contention. Cambridge University Press.
• Skocpol, T., & Williamson, V. (Eds.). (2017). The Tea Party and the remaking of Republican conservatism. Oxford University Press.
• Smith, R. M. (2021). Voting rights and the Supreme Court. ABC-CLIO.
• Verba, S., Schlozman, K. L., & Brady, H. E. (2018). Voice and equality : Civic voluntarism in American politics. Harvard University Press.
• Wolfinger, R. E., & Rosenstone, S. J. (2016). Who votes?. Yale University Press.

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Voting Awareness Essay

The voting awareness essay is an article that discusses voting and its importance. It provides information about voting and how to be a responsible voter. A lot of people want to vote, but many are not aware of its need and how to cast it. This is where voting awareness comes into play. The idea of voting awareness is to help people understand the importance of voting. Voting is an important way for voters to control their government. It is a method for citizens to express what they want from their leaders by raising awareness about voting. This will lead to better governance and what everyone wants – a democracy that is free, fair and representative.

Voting helps citizens become more involved in their government and keep it accountable. To vote, you must meet specific requirements. In addition to voting, there are a few laws that ensure fair elections around the world. BYJU’S short essay on voting awareness helps us understand the vote’s significance.

Importance of Voting

Voting is an integral part of democracy, and it is necessary for people to have a voice. Everyone has the right to vote, which means that all Indians can vote for the Prime Minister of their choice. By voting, you can create change and make a difference in your community. It is also important to vote because you can only repeal a law if most citizens agree with it.

Voting is one way to be more civically engaged with your government. It is vital to make a difference in the world by having your voice heard and representing the views of people who don’t have a voice. If you want to create change, voting is an excellent way. Voting in election helps citizens ensure that the country is granted better rights and protection.

Voting is an important civic duty that can significantly impact the future of our country. Voting helps keep politicians accountable for their actions and creates the framework for our democracy. Voting also ensures that public officials are paid with the tax amount from the people who can afford to pay them. The most consequential decision of all is how to spend tax – voting ensures that there is accountability for what goes into our government’s budget. The last thing we want is for politicians to be able to spend public money without being held accountable by the public’s vote.

To conclude, this is BYJU’S voting awareness essay for kids to help them understand the significance of voting in a democracy. Voting gives citizens a voice and an opportunity to participate in the democratic process. Voting also allows everyone to contribute to the shared democracy and make the government more representative of the people. For more kids learning activities like worksheets , poems etc., visit BYJU’S website.

Frequently Asked Questions on Voting Awareness Essay

At what age can a person vote in india.

In India, a person can start voting once they turn 18.

Why should we vote?

We should vote to let our voices be heard and ensure that what we want is put into effect. Voting is one of the fundamental rights our country offers us.

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Importance of Voting Essay: Why Every Citizen Should Exercise Their Right to Vote

Voting is a fundamental right and duty of every responsible citizen to make a strong democracy. Elections are going on some the states presently, therefore, the topics has become one of the most important essay topics for all competitive as well as academic exam.

Essay on Importance of Voting

Voting is a fundamental right and duty of every citizen in a democratic society. The act of voting allows citizens to have a say in the selection of leaders who will represent them and make decisions on their behalf. In a democratic system, voting ensures that power rests with the people rather than in the hands of a select few. Despite the importance of voting, many individuals do not exercise this right. Lets discuss the importance of voting and highlight why every citizen should vote.

Importance of Voting in Promoting Democracy

One of the primary reasons why voting is crucial is that it promotes democracy . In a democratic society, citizens elect their leaders through a voting process. The leaders then represent the interests of the citizens and make decisions on their behalf. Through voting, citizens can choose leaders who will advance their interests and promote the common good. By voting, citizens participate in the democratic process and contribute to shaping the future of their country.

Importance of Voting to Ensures Equal Representation

Another essential aspect of voting is that it ensures equal representation. In a democracy, every citizen has a voice and the right to vote. Regardless of one’s social status, wealth, or education, every vote counts equally. When citizens vote, they ensure that they are adequately represented in government. The government must then consider the views of all citizens, regardless of their background or socio-economic status. This helps to prevent the domination of any particular group in society.

Importance of Voting in Encouraging Civic Responsibility

Voting is not only a right, but it is also a civic responsibility. By voting, citizens contribute to the development and progress of their country. It is essential for citizens to participate in the democratic process and have a say in the decisions that affect their lives. Voting is an excellent way to show civic responsibility and a commitment to the future of the country.

Importance of Voting in Empowering Citizens

Voting is a powerful tool that empowers citizens. Through voting, citizens can influence the policies and decisions made by their government. This is particularly important for marginalized groups who may otherwise have little voice in society. By voting, these groups can elect leaders who will represent their interests and promote policies that benefit them. Voting also empowers citizens to hold their leaders accountable for their actions. If leaders fail to deliver on their promises, citizens can vote them out of office during the next election.

Voting Shapes the Future

The act of voting shapes the future of a country. By participating in the democratic process, citizens have a say in the direction that their country takes. They can choose leaders who will promote policies that align with their values and priorities. Voting allows citizens to contribute to the shaping of their country’s future, and this is a critical aspect of democracy.

Voting is a Fundamental Right

Voting is a fundamental right and it must be protected. In many countries, individuals have had to fight for their right to vote. This is because the right to vote is closely linked to the right to self-determination and freedom. By exercising their right to vote, citizens can help to preserve and strengthen their democracy.

Importance of Voting in Enhancing Political Stability

Voting is essential for promoting political stability. When citizens vote, they provide a mandate to their elected leaders. This mandate gives the government the legitimacy to make decisions and implement policies. When citizens do not vote, the government may lack the mandate to govern effectively, and this can lead to instability. By voting, citizens can help to ensure that their government is stable and effective.

Importance of Voting in Reflecting National Identity

Voting is an important aspect of national identity. In many countries, voting is seen as a crucial part of national identity and a symbol of citizenship. When citizens vote, they demonstrate their commitment to their country and its future. By participating in the democratic process, citizens can also demonstrate their understanding of the issues facing their country and their willingness to contribute to finding solutions.

Importance of Voting in Increasing Participation in the Political Process

Voting increases participation in the political process. When citizens vote, they engage with the political process and become more aware of the issues facing their country. This increased awareness can encourage citizens to become more politically active and engage in other ways, such as volunteering, advocating for causes, and contacting their elected officials. Through voting, citizens can become more involved in the political process and help to shape the future of their country.

Importance of Voting in Protecting Human Rights

Voting is also important for protecting human rights. In a democratic society, citizens have the right to participate in the political process and to have a say in the decisions that affect their lives. When citizens vote, they help to protect these rights and ensure that they are upheld by the government. By participating in the democratic process, citizens can also help to prevent the violation of human rights by holding their leaders accountable.

In conclusion, voting is an essential aspect of democracy that every citizen should exercise. Through voting, citizens can promote democracy, ensure equal representation, encourage civic responsibility, empower themselves, shape the future of their country, and protect their fundamental rights. It is essential for citizens to take their civic duty seriously and participate in the democratic process by voting in every election and make free and fair election. By doing so, citizens can contribute to building a better and more equitable society for all.

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Essay on Election for Students and Children

500+ words essay on election.

Election is the process through which people can express their political opinion. They express this opinion by public voting to choose a political leader . Furthermore, this political leader would have authority and responsibility. Most noteworthy, Election is a formal group decision making the process. Also, the selected political leader would hold public office. The election is certainly a vital pillar of democracy. This is because; Election ensures that the government is of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Characteristics of Election

First of all, suffrage is an important part of Election . Most noteworthy, suffrage refers to the right to vote in Elections. The question of who may vote is certainly an important issue. The electorate probably never includes the entire population. Almost all countries prohibit individuals under the age of majority from voting. For example, in India, the age of majority is attainable at the age of 18 years.

The nomination of a candidate is also an important characteristic of Election. This means to officially suggest someone for Election. Nomination refers to the process of selecting a candidate for election to a public office. Furthermore, endorsements or testimonials are public statements to support a candidate’s nomination.

Another essential characteristic of Election is electoral systems. Electoral systems refer to detailed constitutional arrangements and voting systems. Furthermore, detailed constitutional arrangements and voting systems convert the vote into a political decision.

The first step is the tally of votes. For this purpose, there is the use of various vote counting systems and ballot. Then comes the determination of the result on the basis of the tally. Also, the categorization of most systems is as either proportional or majoritarian.

Scheduling refers to arranging and controlling of Elections. Elected officials are accountable to the people. Therefore, they must return to the voters at regular intervals of time. Elected officials must do that so as to seek a mandate to continue in office. Above all, most countries arrange elections at fixed regular intervals.

An election campaign is also an integral part of Election. Election campaign refers to an organized effort to positively influence the decision making of a particular group. Consequently, politicians compete with each other by trying to woo more and more individuals.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Importance of Election

First of all, the Election is a peaceful and efficient way of choosing political leaders. Furthermore, citizens of a Nation choose a leader by casting their votes. In this way, the citizens are able to choose an individual whose views appeal to them most. Hence, people are able to exercise their will in political leadership.

An election is an excellent opportunity for people to express their resentment. Most noteworthy, if people are unhappy with a particular leadership, then they can remove it from power. People can certainly replace an undesirous leadership with a better alternative through Election.

The election is a handsome opportunity for political participation. Furthermore, it is a way by which new issues can be raised in public. In most democratic countries, common citizens are allowed to contest elections independently.

Consequently, a citizen could introduce reforms which are not any political party’s agenda. Also, in most democratic countries, a citizen could form a new political party to contest Election.

Election helps keep the power of political leaders in check. The ruling parties cannot afford to do any wrongdoing to the public due to the risk of losing Election. Hence, Election serves as an efficient power check and control for those in the ruling power.

To sum it up, Election is the symbol of political freedom. Most noteworthy, it is the tool which puts authority in the hands of common people. Democracy certainly would be non-functional without it. People must realize the value of Elections and come out in large numbers to vote.

Q1 What are electoral systems?

A1  Electoral systems are detailed constitutional arrangements and voting systems. These detailed constitutional arrangements and voting systems convert the vote into a political decision.

Q2 How Election helps keep the power of the political leaders in check?

A2 Elections certainly help keep the power of the political leaders in check. This is because political leaders cannot afford to do any wrongdoing to the public due to the risk of losing Election

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Why You Should Vote

An essay on the vital importance of voting—not just for the good of the nation, but for your health, happiness, and pocketbook. New Jersey-based musician James Williams breaks down why the disengaged voter should reengage and cast their vote.

A lot of people think that voting doesn't matter—that the act of voting is futile. I’ve seen and heard various reasons as to why they feel this way, but they are all misguided and, in many cases, flat-out wrong. Voting seems like a simple, arbitrary act, but in reality is significant to and directly impacts so many areas of our daily lives. If you are one of these people, here’s why you should vote.

Maybe you’re disengaged because you feel politics doesn’t really affect your life. You’d rather focus on friends and family, making money, or celebrity gossip. Truth is, the government and the policies it enacts profoundly affect everyone’s lives. The government directly impacts what you can and can’t do to make money and who has access to those opportunities. It may be hard to imagine, but our ability to start a business, pursue higher education, access the internet, or enjoy the entertainment of our choice—all of these things are regulated by the government. The government plays a major role in the kinds of jobs we can do, the amount of money we can make, the quality and funding of education, our access to healthcare, and the health and safety of our food. These aren’t things most people think about because, until now, our government has always run relatively seamlessly. Your access to resources, jobs, funds, safety and protections stem directly from policies and the enforcement of them.

If there’s anything you care deeply about—like social justice, climate change, women’s rights, health care, workers’ rights, or entrepreneurship—whatever comes of the topic is largely contingent on the government and who we elect into office.

If there’s anything you care deeply about—like social justice, climate change, women’s rights, health care, workers’ rights, or entrepreneurship—whatever comes of the topic is largely contingent on the government and who we elect into office. You don’t get police reform without having a mayor, sheriff and/or attorney general who agrees police should be held accountable and representatives in Congress and the city council to sign legislation to make that happen. You don’t get affordable and comprehensive healthcare without laws being passed to make that a reality. Laws can allow one set of people access to things and freedoms while blocking an entire other group, and just as those policies enable our freedoms, policies can take those freedoms away.

As a Black man, I was always taught that I should vote to honor those who came before me who couldn’t vote, vote for those who fought and died for my right to. This statement is true, but it’s even deeper than this. We need to vote and stay engaged to keep our freedoms. Unless you are a Caucasian, heterosexual male who owns land, the freedoms and protections you enjoy today had to be fought for and ultimately signed into law. Even then, the process wasn’t a straight line. For many people, these freedoms were granted and then taken away because our elected officials didn’t enforce the laws that had been enacted. Black Americans went through this with the right to vote. A lot is said about the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, where Black Americans ultimately secured full voting rights and civil protections, but many forget that those rights had already been signed into law, written into the constitution 90 years prior through the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments ratified right after the Civil War. Black men were granted the right to vote all across America, but by 1889, Southern states enacted laws and regulations that took those rights away. It took 76 years to get those rights back, and even today, suppression of Black voters is one of the key Republican tactics for winning elections and maintaining power.

By removing yourself from [the voting] process, you not only stifle your voice, you lose your ability to hold your politicians accountable and ensure your issues and desires are not a priority.

Now you’re probably thinking, what do these laws and legislation have to do with me voting? Well, that legislation is directly linked to the vote. Remember, laws don’t just appear out of thin air; politicians create and pass them. Politicians don’t just appear into the roles and seats they have; they are elected by us. By removing yourself from that process, you not only stifle your voice, you lose your ability to hold your politicians accountable and ensure your issues and desires are not a priority. Being a senator, congressperson, attorney general, mayor, sheriff, or other elected government official is a powerful position which often comes with great perks. In order for any of those politicians to keep their positions, they need votes. It only makes sense that they focus on the people who actually vote. Why would they waste energy, time, and resources on people who make it clear they will not help keep them in office? Why pass policies that may very well help those who flaunt not voting at the risk of upsetting the people who do vote? Our vote matters, and it shapes policies everyday.

The case of Breonna Taylor is a perfect example of this. It didn't matter how many hashtags went out, how many celebrities spoke out, or how much the topic was trending—no substantial justice was given to Breonna Taylor and her family. We were hearing about it from New York to Los Angeles, Seattle to Miami, Chicago to Houston, on tennis courts, even in post-race interviews on the Formula One race tracks of Europe, but the message rang hollow. Why? Because none of these people vote in Kentucky, and none of these people elect the Attorney General of Kentucky. Truth be told, the people of Kentucky, the majority of voters in Kentucky, simply do not care for justice for Breonna Taylor. Kentucky is an overwhelmingly Republican state, and as such, elected a Republican Attorney General, Daniel Cameron. Cameron, who has the power to bring Taylor's murderers to trial, declined to seek charges. Why did he do that? Because he knows that his voters, his party, do not desire justice for Breonna Taylor and, ultimately, Black lives. They want nothing that implies Black Lives Matter, and so the Attorney General acted accordingly. If you don't want to believe this, ask yourself, Why was it that this particular Attorney General was selected to give a speech during the nationally televised Republican National Convention in August? His office was doing everything in its power to slow walk any substantive criminal investigations into Taylor's case. With the GOP being the party of All Lives Matter, they rewarded him with a nationally televised spot on the program celebrating the party. The injustice shown to Breonna Taylor and her family is a direct result of the voters.

You won't always see a candidate who you absolutely love, but it's still important to participate. Don't fall into the trap that both sides are the same either. One candidate will always have more for you and yours than the other.

Voting makes sure our elected officials answer to us. Protesting and marching is great, but if the elected officials don't feel like they'll lose their positions, the protests and marches become nothing more than a block party and parade. We need to hold them accountable in order to see the changes we want to see. If they don't do what we want, we have to vote them out and replace them with someone who does do what's best for the people. You won't always see a candidate who you absolutely love, but it's still important to participate. Don't fall into the trap that both sides are the same either. One candidate will always have more for you and yours than the other, and each has policies that will affect your life one way or another. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

The 1964 presidential election was a good example of this for Black America. Malcolm X advised that Black America should not vote for either the Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson or the Republican Barry Goldwater, because he believed they were both racists. He argued that neither would do anything for Black people. Malcolm meant well, but he was wrong. Johnson was by far the better choice and signed into law the Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights Act. What made these bills become law was the overwhelming support Johnson got from Black voters in the North which helped secure his reelection. Had Black America not engaged and Goldwater won, Jim Crow laws would have remained in place for much longer.

Now if for some reason, you still can't bring yourself to vote for either prominent presidential candidate, that's ok. There are still other races that matter, will affect your life, and, in many ways, can determine what the eventual president can accomplish. Vote for the senators and congresspeople who represent you. Vote for your attorney general, your county sheriff, your governor, your mayor, members of the school board. These people make decisions that affect your daily life long before the President does.

At every level of government, it's important to have competent people. If this disaster of a pandemic response has taught us anything, it's that competent leadership matters and makes a huge difference.

Many states also have ballot questions and initiatives that allow voters to have a direct voice on many important issues. In my home state of New Jersey, one of the questions on the 2020 General Election ballot is about whether to decriminalize cannabis. If this passes, it will have huge implications, but its enforcement is also dependent on the candidates elected into office. For example, in 2018, Florida voters voted overwhelmingly to give ex-felons the right to vote. In the same election, however, Floridians also elected a Republican governor and state representatives whose party is strictly opposed to the re-enfranchisement of ex-felons. As a result, millions of voters who should be able to vote now still cannot. Your vote matters.

At every level of government, it's important to have competent people. If this disaster of a pandemic response has taught us anything, it's that competent leadership matters and makes a huge difference. Hundreds of thousands of lives and billions of dollars could have been saved if the United States had competent leadership that acknowledged and addressed the pandemic like in many other countries. Even with the lack of leadership from the White House, if there were more senators and governors in office who followed science, the US would have a better grip on COVID today. We can't get more of those kinds of representatives without voting. In the short term, if this leadership isn't voted out in this election, the US will be stuck unnecessarily struggling with COVID for much longer and more severely than necessary. We will also continue to be banned from traveling most of the rest of the world. As a musician, the lack of COVID response affects me directly. With no clear plan on how to contain the virus, my primary source of income is all but eliminated. Venues that host the events I once performed in can’t have shows or have to do so at a very limited capacity. Limited capacity means limited earning potential. The international travel restrictions also take away touring opportunities.

Vote to help secure the best possible future for you and those you love. Vote to protect the ideas and the people you love. Make your voice heard, and engage consistently to make sure we always have the best candidates to pick from and the best people leading.

You might be choosing not to vote because of the Electoral College or gerrymandering, but neither should stop you. Many people are confused about the Electoral College and think that it means your vote doesn’t matter. But the members or electors of the Electoral College cast their votes based on the popular vote of the state they represent. If Candidate A wins more votes from the citizens of North Carolina than all the other candidates, all of North Carolina's electors cast their votes for that candidate. If Candidate B wins more votes in Missouri, then Missouri's electors cast their votes for Candidate B. The first person to get 270 electoral votes wins the presidency. If you want your preferred presidential candidate to win, you should vote to at least help make sure they win your state. It’s true that the Electoral College gives outsized representation to voters in rural states, but this is not an insurmountable problem. Besides that, the Electoral College has no effect on the other races. Neither your senator, congressperson, nor any other down ballot race is determined by the electoral college, and voting in these races is just as important as voting for the president.

Gerrymandering is problematic, but it does not completely invalidate your vote—for one thing, it has no effect on the statewide races like the senate, state attorney general, or sheriff races. Nor does it affect the Presidential election. Gerrymandering does affect congressional and district elections. Every ten years, the congressional maps are redrawn so that each congressional district represents roughly the same number of residents. Gerrymandering is the process where the politicians in power at the time of redistricting redraw the maps to favor their party or disenfranchise a particular group of voters. They make it so more districts have more people likely to vote for them, thus giving them an advantage. This system is biased but also not insurmountable. The best way to fight against gerrymandering is to vote overwhelmingly and overpower the system’s biases. This also puts us in position to hold our representatives accountable and pass laws that will limit or eliminate the ability of future elected officials to gerrymander their districts for political gain.

We all have a say, we all have a voice. Voting is one way to turn that voice into action. Vote selfishly or selflessly, radically or pragmatically, but please, make sure that you vote.

We all have dreams of a future we would like to see. We have goals we want to achieve and visions of better lives for the people that come after us. Though many things in life seem to be beyond our control, we do have tools to shape our future. Voting is one of those tools. Personally, I vote knowing that it isn’t the end-all and be-all or the magic solution, but it is a vital step. I vote in order to have a say in how the future plays out. Voting is the easiest way to enact the changes you want to see. Vote to help secure the best possible future for you and those you love. Vote to protect the ideas and the people you love. Make your voice heard, and engage consistently to make sure we always have the best candidates to pick from and the best people leading. If nothing else, isn't it better to do all you can to elect the candidate who represents what's best for you all? Leaving that decision up to someone else only ensures that someone else chooses who is elected and ultimately gets what's best for them at your expense. We all have a say, we all have a voice. Voting is one way to turn that voice into action. Vote selfishly or selflessly, radically or pragmatically, but please, make sure that you vote.

Get more information on your ballot, polling place, and early information at Vote.org via the link below.

James Williams is a musician from Teaneck, New Jersey, based in the New York/New Jersey area. When there isn’t a pandemic you can catch him all over performing with Tangina Stone, and various other artists, or working as an audio engineer. He is also a producer and background vocalist. You can connect to James on Instagram via the link below.

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1. the partisanship and ideology of american voters.

The partisan identification of registered voters is now evenly split between the two major parties: 49% of registered voters are Democrats or lean to the Democratic Party, and a nearly identical share – 48% – are Republicans or lean to the Republican Party.

The partisan balance has tightened in recent years following a clear edge in Democratic Party affiliation during the last administration.

• Four years ago, in the run-up to the 2020 election, Democrats had a 5 percentage point advantage over the GOP (51% vs. 46%).

The share of voters who are in the Democratic coalition reached 55% in 2008. For much of the last three decades of Pew Research Center surveys, the partisan composition of registered voters has been more closely divided.

Partisans and partisan leaners in the U.S. electorate

About two-thirds of registered voters identify as a partisan, and they are roughly evenly split between those who say they are Republicans (32% of voters) and those who say they are Democrats (33%). Roughly a third instead say they are independents or something else (35%), with most of these voters leaning toward one of the parties. Partisan leaners often share the same political views and behaviors as those who directly identify with the party they favor.

The share of voters who identify as independent or something else is somewhat higher than in the late 1990s and early 2000s. As a result, there are more “leaners” today than in the past. Currently, 15% of voters lean toward the Republican Party and 16% lean toward the Democratic Party. By comparison, in 1994, 27% of voters leaned toward either the GOP (15%) or the Democratic Party (12%).

Party identification and ideology

While the electorate overall is nearly equally divided between those who align with the Republican and Democratic parties, a greater share of registered voters say they are both ideologically conservative and associate with the Republican Party (33%) than say they are liberal and align with the Democratic Party (23%).

A quarter of voters associate with the Democratic Party and describe their views as either conservative or moderate, and 14% identify as moderates or liberals and are Republicans or Republican leaners.

The partisan and ideological composition of voters is relatively unchanged over the last five years.

(As a result of significant mode differences in measures of ideology between telephone and online surveys, there is not directly comparable data on ideology prior to 2019.)

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Report Materials

Table of contents, behind biden’s 2020 victory, a voter data resource: detailed demographic tables about verified voters in 2016, 2018, what the 2020 electorate looks like by party, race and ethnicity, age, education and religion, interactive map: the changing racial and ethnic makeup of the u.s. electorate, in changing u.s. electorate, race and education remain stark dividing lines, most popular.

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

Young voters aren't warming up to Biden. They know it means Trump could win again.

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee ‒ President Joe Biden should have a lock on Viviana Ramos' vote. She's a liberal young woman from an immigrant family working a service-industry job that keeps her living paycheck to paycheck, worried about climate change, health care, the cost of college and buying a house.

But Biden may not get her vote in November.

Ramos, 24, voted for him in 2020 but is now unsure whether she can bring herself to support him again, even if it means a second presidency for Donald Trump , who she dislikes even more.

"That fuels the rage. It's really disheartening. I have a moral battle with myself: Do I even vote this time around? I don't want to have to choose between them. One is slightly worse than the other. It's horrible," said Ramos, who works at a coffee shop inside downtown Chattanooga's historic train station.

Ramos is one of many young voters stewing with grievances over the country's future, from the existential crisis of climate change to the frustration over inflation, reproductive rights, high interest rates, Israel's war in Gaza, immigration reform and the power corporations have over their working conditions.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

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Experts say young voters nationally may ultimately decide this 2024 presidential race. In 2016, young voters helped Trump claim victory by either staying home or choosing a third-party candidate. And in 2020 they helped Biden win by turning out near-record numbers and skipping third-party options.

"I usually judge people if they don't vote. But this is the first election where I understand if you don't want to vote,” said Knoxville resident Kathika Senevirante, 25. "I’m just stuck."

Turned off by both parties

In 2016, nearly 40% of young voters cast ballots, rising to 50% in 2020, according to the nonpartisan Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University in Massachusetts. Although young voters are typically less likely to identify as Republican or Democrat, they are also more likely to vote for Democratic candidates.

Today, polls show Biden has weak support among young voters, and that while 26% of Americans overall have a negative view of both Trump and Biden, a significantly larger 41% of young voters dislike both, according to a poll by Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Many young liberal voters say they understand that Biden’s reelection depends heavily on their support, and hope his campaign and administration begins addressing their concerns more forcefully. They're well aware that if they don't give Biden their vote, Trump will more easily win.

Kristian Mansel, 23 said she's willing to see a Trump victory if it means Biden and Democratic Party learn a lesson. She's mad Biden and Democrats have failed to protect reproductive rights or wipe out student loans.

"It's just there's too many strikes against him and the Democratic Party at this point in general," said Mansel, a University of Memphis student who considers herself liberal.

In 2020, Trump beat Biden in Tennessee by about 700,000 votes, but more than 1 million eligible voters ‒ most of them young people ‒ didn't participate.

Overall, 66% of Americans voted in the 2020 presidential election, with turnout the highest ‒ about 76% ‒ among people aged 64-74. Experts say high turnout gives elections more credibility because the results more closely mirror what the majority of people want.

"It feels like the older generation is still in charge, and there are such huge differences in our experiences," said Jeremy Gold, 30, of Nashville.

"We feel like we've been ripped off by the 'American dream' idea ‒ we've seen the financial repercussions of our parents' and grandparents' generations multiple times over, seen a lot more violence and war than we were originally told would happen, and we feel ripped off," he said. "The lack of voting is probably a little bit of a middle finger to those who passed that to us."

Combatting low turnout

In 2020, Tennessee's youth turnout was among the lowest in the nation at 43%, well below the national youth-voting average of 50%. And in the 2022 mid-term elections, Tennessee had the country's worst youth-voter turnout at just 12.7%.

Some voting-rights groups say young voters often feel disillusioned because lawmakers suppress their participation. In Tennessee, for instance, the state won't accept a college ID as proper identification at the polls, but will accept a firearms registration card.

Other examples: limiting polling places on college campuses, blocking same-day voter registration and requiring that voting registration be done via "wet" signature ‒ a hand-written signature signed in pen and mailed in or hand-delivered to registration officials. All of this seems very last-century to people who've grown up in the digital age.

"We all know young people like to do everything on their phones," said Andrea Hailey of the nonpartisan voter-participation group Vote.org. "All of that is meant to wash young people out of the system."

Like many voting-advocacy groups, Vote.org tries to help young voters understand that their voices matter. And there's indications it ' s working.

With help from influencers like pop superstar Taylor Swift, who lives in Tennessee, Vote.org this election cycle has already seen twice as many 18-year-olds register to vote nationally than it did by this time in 2020. Hailey said she doesn't buy the idea that young voters are disillusioned.

"If what we're seeing holds true, that means the youngest cohort is planning to show up," Hailey said. "They have a vision for the world they want to see."

After an Instagram post by Swift last September, a record of more than 30,000 people signed up through Vote.org during National Voter Registration Day , many of them teens who will be eligible to vote in this fall's election. Hailey said about 80% of the people who sign up through Vote.org ultimately cast a ballot.

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett has also been working to improve youth voter turnout. A Republican, Hargett said his job is to make sure anyone who is legally allowed to vote gets that chance. But he dismissed concerns about whether seemingly small obstacles dissuade young voters from participating.

Hargett said low participation reflects a choice of priorities by those young people. He joked those same young people would be the first to tear their county apart piece by piece if it meant free Taylor Swift concert tickets.

Going deeper: Swifties may be able to sway 2024 elections: All Taylor Swift has to do is say the word

Hargett said he tries to explain to young voters that whoever shows up at the polling place really does determine policy, even if it doesn't happen fast enough for some. He remains mystified, he said, by young people who withhold their votes in protest.

"When you don't go vote, what you do is turn over the keys to government to those who do," he said. "If you don't do politics, politics will be done to you."

They're not apathetic, they're annoyed

While Trump has focused primarily on the health of the overall economy and closing the southern border, Biden in the past several months has announced initiatives aimed squarely at the concerns of young people, from tax credits to help people buy houses to capping credit card fees, reducing racial disparities in healthcare and income, and lowering college costs and student loan debt, including at historically black colleges and universities in Tennessee.

Ramos sees efforts like those as little more than tinkering around the edges.

She's furious that past generations could more easily buy homes, afford college, save for retirement and access high-quality health care. She said she sees Biden as only marginally better than Trump, who she considers a "dictator."

She said older voters refuse to change society because it works for them, even if it means dooming young people to a subsistence existence without homeownership, savings or affordable cars, groceries and gas.

"The people we elect don't speak for me," she said. "I try to be a mature person. But it's hard not to be angry when you were left with multiple situations where the older generations have literally messed up so much for us."

Ben Schulz, a high school government teacher in Chattanooga, said many of his students share the same concerns.

Earlier this year Schulz helped his school, Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences, win a statewide award for registering every student who will be eligible to vote this fall.

To learn more: 'They can't buy into that American Dream': How younger workers are redefining success

Schulz said college costs are among his students' biggest concerns, along with climate change and the war in Gaza. He said it's a mistake to think young people aren't interested in politics. The problem, he said, is that many feel their votes won’t make a difference, due to uncontested seats or gerrymandered districts.

“It may be hard to get anything out of them, but they are paying attention," he said. "They may not express it to older people but they sure are talking about it amongst themselves.”

Clarissa Unger of the nonpartisan Students Learn Students Vote coalition said she believes young people are powerfully interested in the outcome of this year's election, even if polls don't reflect it. In the 2020 presidential election, two-thirds of eligible college students aged 18-21 voted, virtually identical to the national average.

"Young people and college students are not apathetic at all ‒ they want to have their voices heard," Unger said. "Disillusionment is something they're worried about this year, and a way to combat that is through voter education."

Young voters looking for more information

Unger said one longstanding concern young voters have is that they often feel as if they lack enough information to make a decision. Unlike older voters who consistently cast a ballot for their party's candidate regardless of who it is, younger voters focus on specific issues.

Chattanooga high school student Emersyn Ware, 18, said some of her classmates are talking about not voting because they don't think they know enough, while at the same time understanding that failing to vote means their voices will get ignored.

"It's kind of crazy. It's making it feel like whoever I vote for is making or breaking America," said Ware. "It's kind of stressful to think about, how this will help determine America's future."

Ware, who said she's likely to vote for Trump this fall, said the cost of groceries and gas are among her biggest worries, along with overspending by the federal government, including aid to Ukraine. And she worries that both Trump and Biden are too old to effectively connect with millions of young people like her. She said she feels Biden in particular makes the country look weak because he's so old.

Redefining success: The 'American Dream' has always been elusive. Is it still worth fighting for?

"Age makes them seem less capable," she said. "We are the future of America and if you can't connect with our generation, what's the point? And I suppose that's a deterrent. They aren't listening to me."

Grace Russell, a 20-year-old student at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, skipped the state's Democratic primary this year, even though she considers herself liberal.

“I’m just really not super into Joe Biden, you know,” she said. “It’s one of those things where … I don’t think the alternative is better but at the same time, he's being silent on these major issues, like Palestine and a hundred other things.”

The choice between Biden and Trump is a matter of "bad vs. worse" due to Trump’s stances on many of the issues impacting her, she said.

"I’m a queer person, I'm a woman and I have no interest in making that worse," she said. “But at the same time, I don’t think Biden is great, either."

University of Memphis student Luis Lopez Gamez, 21, said he's also disillusioned with Biden, and will likely just not vote over frustrations about the lack of border reform and Biden's inability to stop Israel's attacks on Gaza. Gamez is Latino and queer, and said that while Trump has been outwardly hostile to people like him, Biden doesn't seem much better.

"I just I don't feel that there's any need for me to express a vote when I have two candidates I'm completely dissatisfied with," Gamez said. "Why am I having to choose the lesser of two evils again? At the end of the day, the lesser of two evils is still making me choose an evil."

And Wallace Welch, 21 , a college student and barber in Chattanooga, said he's inclined to support Trump because he feels like the economy overall was better three years ago. While Biden might have more specific programs aimed at young Black men like him, Welch said he felt safer and expects car prices and inflation would be lower under Trump.

"He might not say the best things all the time but he’s an actual businessman. And Biden is just old," Welch said. “I don’t really want a world run by old people. Well, there’s nothing wrong with an older person ‒ just an incoherent older person."

Ramos, the coffee shop barista, said she hopes Biden and Trump start focusing more on young voters, who hold the future of the country in their hands. But she's not optimistic.

She said her immigrant family sometimes surprises her with their support for Trump, and noted financial security goes a long way to resolving other problems facing Americans. Her concern, she said, is that neither mainstream candidate will actually follow through on their campaign promises.

"At first they say they will give you the world and at the end of the day, it doesn't seem like they're doing a lot," Ramos said. "I'm not going to vote for Trump and now I guess I'm trying to build up the courage to vote for Biden, unfortunately. I'm glad I have a few more months to think about it."

Contributing from the USA TODAY Network: Angele Latham of The Tennessean in Nashville, Brooke Muckerman of The Commercial Appeal in Memphis and Allie Feinberg of the Knoxville News Sentinel. 

Voting in the US Essay

Introduction, factors influencing voting in the us, us 2008 election.

This paper will briefly examine the factors that influence voting in the US with light being shade on the roles played by political parties, perceptions of the running candidate and the issue of preferences. The factors which may have influenced the 2008 election in the US are also highlighted and a personal opinion given.

There are many factors that influence how people choose their respective candidates in elections. The three most important factors which determine how voting is done are party identification, issue preferences, and voter perception of the candidate.

Party Identification

With the exception of race, party identification has been for a long time the most determining factor in the voting behavior of American voters. In the United States, affiliation to a particular party is influenced by many factors such as families, generational effects, and assessment of candidates by the voters. For many years the voting history in the US has had a fairly constant number of voters for the respective parties. This means that voters would vote for a party without regard to the choice of candidate (Schmidt et. al, 2010).

Perception of the candidate

A candidate’s image also influences the choice of voters. In the US the attitudes of voters towards their candidates of choice are in most cases based on emotions. In many elections voters have been perceived to choose candidates who they think share their concerns and worries. For instance President Obama was preferred in 2008 because many of the voters saw him as a person who stood for change as opposed to the Bush administration (Schmidt et. al, 2009).

Issue Preferences

Basic issues such as change in the government policy play a big role in choice of candidate. In the US, economic concerns are very powerful in determining a candidate’s public opinion. For example, inflation, unemployment and the healthcare policy are the major issues that propelled Obama to the presidency (Holbrook, 2009).

According to the Pew Research center, young voters in the US have proffered candidates from the Democratic Party in the last three general elections. In 2008, 66% of voters under the age of 30 voted for President Obama, this was bigger turnout than any other election since 1972.

This indicated that there is a shift in political allegiance that has been building over the years. This is attributed to the fact that young voters tend to have more racial and ethnic view points that the older voters and also have more secular inclinations towards religion. Party identification also played a role in the large turnout of youths who voted in 2008. Many of the young voters had a strong inclination towards the Democratic Party (Keeter & Tyson, 2008).

According to Roberts in his New York Times publication, there was no gap in terms of race in the 2008 voting behavior in the US. All races turned out in their large numbers to vote. He attributes this turnout to the fact that Obama was from a minority race and therefore prompted other minority races to join in the election.

The rate of voter turn out was almost similar to the other years, the only difference was in the composition of the electorate where whites reduced but blacks increased. He also notes that young people turned out in large numbers especially black youth to vote for Obama (Roberts, 2009).

These two editorials agree that there was a large voter turn out of young voters in the 2008 election. I can’t agree more. It is true that the youth have diverse and more liberal views than their older counter parts. Due to this fact, they were bound to follow someone whom they saw as representing their liberal views.

Obama carried this promise and therefore attracted there vote. The blacks, Hispanics, and Asians also turned out in large numbers to support what they saw as their fellow minority member who carried the promise of representing their political issues.

Holbrook, T. (2009). Economic considerations and the 2008 presidential election. University of Wisconsin . Web.

Keeter, S. & Tyson, A. (2008). Young Voters in the 2008 Election . Pew ResearchCentre Publication. Web.

Roberts, S. (2009). No Racial Gap Seen in ’08 Vote Turnout . The New York Times . Web.

Schmidt et. al. (2009). American Government and Politics Today . New York, NY: Cengage learning.

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IvyPanda. (2023, December 27). Voting in the US. https://ivypanda.com/essays/voting-in-the-us/

"Voting in the US." IvyPanda , 27 Dec. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/voting-in-the-us/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Voting in the US'. 27 December.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Voting in the US." December 27, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/voting-in-the-us/.

1. IvyPanda . "Voting in the US." December 27, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/voting-in-the-us/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Voting in the US." December 27, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/voting-in-the-us/.

• Voter Turnout Problem in America
• Voter Turnout: An Analysis of Three Election Years
• Political Issues: Voter Turnout in Texas
• Social Media Impact on Voter Turnout
• Voter Turnout and Mobilization
• Irish General Elections: Low Voter Turnout Reasons
• Methods for Improving Voter Turnout in the U.S.
• Motivating Voters in Political Campaigns
• Campaigns and Elections
• Us Citizens’ Attitudes Toward Exercising the Right to Vote
• Are The Enacted Voting Law Changes In 2012 Intended To Deter the Minority Vote?
• The Voting Rights Act
• Voting Challenges in 2012
• Does Decline of Social Capital Matter?
• President Obama’s State of the Union Address on January 1, 2011

Essay on My Vote My Right

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Vote My Right in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Vote My Right

Introduction.

Voting is a fundamental right of every citizen. It’s our way to voice our opinions and choose our leaders.

Importance of Voting

Voting is crucial for democracy. It allows us to select competent leaders and hold them accountable.

Responsibility of Citizens

As responsible citizens, we should use our voting rights wisely. It’s our duty to vote for the betterment of our society.

In conclusion, our vote is our right. We should value it and use it responsibly to shape our country’s future.

250 Words Essay on My Vote My Right

The significance of voting.

Voting is not just a right; it is a privilege and a responsibility. It is the most potent nonviolent tool or weapon in a democratic society. We make choices about the leaders who will shape the policy and direction of our communities, our countries, and our world.

The Power of a Single Vote

Many may argue that a single vote does not make a difference. However, history is replete with instances where the destiny of nations was changed by a single vote. It is the collective power of individual votes that shapes the outcome of an election. Every vote counts in the democratic process.

The Impact of Not Voting

When we choose not to vote, we surrender our voice. We let others decide our future. The consequences can be dire, leading to the election of leaders not aligned with our values or the enactment of policies that negatively affect our lives.

My Vote, My Right

The right to vote is a fundamental aspect of civil liberties and human rights. It is a direct way for citizens to influence governmental decisions. It is our right to vote that safeguards our democracy, ensuring that power truly belongs to the people.

The act of voting is a declaration of our commitment to democracy, to one another, and to the principles of liberty and justice. It is an affirmation that we value our right to make choices about who governs us and how we are governed. My vote, indeed, is my right.

500 Words Essay on My Vote My Right

Introduction: the power of a single vote.

The right to vote is a cornerstone of any democratic society. It is through this right that citizens participate in the democratic process, choosing representatives who align with their beliefs and values. The phrase “My Vote, My Right” encapsulates this principle, emphasizing the personal power and responsibility inherent in the act of voting.

The Concept of Voting Rights

Voting rights are more than just a legal entitlement; they are a reflection of a society’s commitment to equality and justice. They ensure that all citizens, regardless of their socio-economic status, race, or gender, have a say in the political direction of their country. In essence, voting rights are a manifestation of the democratic principle that power ultimately resides with the people.

Historical Perspective and Struggle

The struggle for voting rights has been a long and arduous journey. From the suffragette movement that fought for women’s voting rights to the Civil Rights movement that sought to end racial discrimination in voting, history is replete with instances of people battling for this fundamental right. These struggles underscore the importance of voting rights and serve as a reminder that they should never be taken for granted.

The Impact of a Single Vote

The power of a single vote should not be underestimated. There have been numerous instances in history where elections have been decided by a handful of votes. Each vote contributes to the final outcome, and hence, each vote matters. It is through the collective power of individual votes that societal change is brought about.

Challenges to Voting Rights

Despite the importance of voting rights, they are often under threat. Voter suppression, disenfranchisement, and gerrymandering are some of the tactics used to undermine the democratic process. It is the responsibility of every citizen to stay vigilant against such threats and to fight for the preservation and expansion of voting rights.

The Role of Youth in Upholding Voting Rights

As the future leaders of society, college students play a crucial role in upholding voting rights. They can do this by educating themselves and others about the importance of voting, participating in peaceful protests against voter suppression, and most importantly, by exercising their right to vote. By doing so, they can ensure that the democratic process remains robust and representative of the people’s will.

Conclusion: My Vote, My Right

In conclusion, the phrase “My Vote, My Right” is not just a statement of a legal entitlement, but a declaration of personal power and responsibility. It is a call to action for every citizen to participate in the democratic process, and a reminder that the power to shape society lies in our hands. Whether we choose to exercise this power or not, the consequences will be ours to bear. Therefore, let us not take our voting rights for granted, but instead, use them to create a society that reflects our values and aspirations.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on My Native Village
• Essay on Modern Village
• Essay on Global Village

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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I Served on the Florida Supreme Court. What the New Majority Just Did Is Indefensible.

On April 1, the Florida Supreme Court, in a 6–1 ruling, overturned decades of decisions beginning in 1989 that recognized a woman’s right to choose—that is, whether to have an abortion—up to the time of viability.

Anchored in Florida’s own constitutional right to privacy, this critical individual right to abortion had been repeatedly affirmed by the state Supreme Court, which consistently struck down conflicting laws passed by the Legislature.

As explained first in 1989:

Florida’s privacy provision is clearly implicated in a woman’s decision of whether or not to continue her pregnancy. We can conceive of few more personal or private decisions concerning one’s body in the course of a lifetime.

Tellingly, the justices at the time acknowledged that their decision was based not only on U.S. Supreme Court precedent but also on Florida’s own privacy amendment.

I served on the Supreme Court of Florida beginning in 1998 and retired, based on our mandatory retirement requirement, a little more than two decades later. Whether Florida’s Constitution provided a right to privacy that encompassed abortion was never questioned, even by those who would have been deemed the most conservative justices—almost all white men back in 1989!

And strikingly, one of the conservative justices at that time stated: “If the United States Supreme Court were to subsequently recede from Roe v. Wade , this would not diminish the abortion rights now provided by the privacy amendment of the Florida Constitution.” Wow!

In 2017 I authored an opinion holding unconstitutional an additional 24-hour waiting period after a woman chooses to terminate her pregnancy. Pointing out that other medical procedures did not have such requirements, the majority opinion noted, “Women may take as long as they need to make this deeply personal decision,” adding that the additional 24 hours stipulated that the patient make a second, medically unnecessary trip, incurring additional costs and delays. The court applied what is known in constitutional law as a “strict scrutiny” test for fundamental rights.

Interestingly, Justice Charles Canady, who is still on the Florida Supreme Court and who participated in the evisceration of Florida’s privacy amendment last week, did not challenge the central point that abortion is included in an individual’s right to privacy. He dissented, not on substantive grounds but on technical grounds.

So what can explain this 180-degree turn by the current Florida Supreme Court? If I said “politics,” that answer would be insufficient, overly simplistic. Unfortunately, with this court, precedent is precedent until it is not. Perhaps each of the six justices is individually, morally or religiously, opposed to abortion.

Yet, all the same, by a 4–3 majority, the justices—three of whom participated in overturning precedent—voted to allow the proposed constitutional amendment on abortion to be placed on the November ballot. (The dissenters: the three female members of the Supreme Court.) That proposed constitutional amendment:

Amendment to Limit Government Interference With Abortion: No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion. 

For the proposed amendment to pass and become enshrined in the state constitution, 60 percent of Florida voters must vote yes.

In approving the amendment to be placed on the ballot at the same time that it upheld Florida’s abortion bans, the court angered those who support a woman’s right to choose as well as those who are opposed to abortion. Most likely the latter groups embrace the notion that fetuses are human beings and have rights that deserve to be protected. Indeed, Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz, during oral argument on the abortion amendment case, queried the state attorney general on precisely that issue, asking if the constitutional language that defends the rights of all natural persons extends to an unborn child at any stage of pregnancy.

In fact, and most troubling, it was the three recently elevated Gov. Ron DeSantis appointees—all women—who expressed their views that the voters should not be allowed to vote on the amendment because it could affect the rights of the unborn child. Justice Jamie Grosshans, joined by Justice Meredith Sasso, expressed that the amendment was defective because it failed to disclose the potential effect on the rights of the unborn child. Justice Renatha Francis was even more direct, writing in her dissent:

The exercise of a “right” to an abortion literally results in a devastating infringement on the right of another person: the right to live. And our Florida Constitution recognizes that “life” is a “basic right” for “[a]ll natural persons.” One must recognize the unborn’s competing right to life and the State’s moral duty to protect that life.

In other words, the three dissenting justices would recognize that fetuses are included in who is a “natural person” under Florida’s Constitution.

What should be top of mind days after the dueling decisions? Grave concern for the women of our state who will be in limbo because, following the court’s ruling, a six-week abortion ban—at a time before many women even know they are pregnant—will be allowed to go into effect. We know that these restrictions will disproportionately affect low-income women and those who live in rural communities.

But interestingly, there is a provision in the six-week abortion ban statute that allows for an abortion before viability in cases of medical necessity: if two physicians certify that the pregnant patient is at risk of death or that the “fetus has a fatal fetal abnormality.”

The challenge will be finding physicians willing to put their professional reputations on the line in a state bent on cruelly impeding access to needed medical care when it comes to abortion.

Yet, this is the time that individuals and organizations dedicated to women’s health, as well as like-minded politicians, will be crucial in coordinating efforts to ensure that abortions, when needed, are performed safely and without delay. This is the time to celebrate and support organizations, such as Planned Parenthood and Emergency Medical Assistance , as well as our own RBG Fund , which provides patients necessary resources and information. Floridians should also take full advantage of the Repro Legal Helpline .

We all have a role in this—women and men alike. Let’s get out, speak out, shout out, coordinate our efforts, and, most importantly, vote . Working together, we can make a difference.

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With State Bans on D.E.I., Some Universities Find a Workaround: Rebranding

Welcome to the new “Office of Access and Engagement.” Schools are renaming departments and job titles to try to preserve diversity programs.

By Stephanie Saul

At the University of Tennessee, the campus D.E.I. program is now called the Division of Access and Engagement.

Louisiana State University also rebranded its diversity office after Jeff Landry, a Trump-backed Republican, was elected governor last fall. Its Division of Inclusion, Civil Rights and Title IX is now called the Division of Engagement, Civil Rights and Title IX.

And at the University of Oklahoma, the diversity office is now the Division of Access and Opportunity .

In what appears to be an effort to placate or, even head fake, opponents of diversity and equity programs, university officials are relaunching their D.E.I. offices under different names, changing the titles of officials, and rewriting requirements to eliminate words like “diversity” and “equity.” In some cases, only the words have changed.

For some universities, the opposition to diversity programs comes at a challenging time. They face an incoming student shortage, the result of declining birthrates and skepticism of the value of an expensive college degree. Others are worried about how the ban on race-conscious admissions will affect the complexion of their campuses.

In either case, many college officials feel they need D.E.I. offices to market to an increasingly diverse generation of students and the faculty who might attract them. While no two campus diversity programs are exactly alike, they often preside over a variety of functions, including operating student cultural centers, ensuring regulatory compliance and hosting racial bias workshops for students and faculty members.

Conservative critics have questioned the cost of what they call D.E.I. bureaucracies, which in some places have budgets reaching into the tens of millions of dollars, and attacked the programs for being left-wing, indoctrination factories.

In a recent webinar making the case for the continuation of D.E.I. efforts, Khalil Gibran Muhammad, a professor of history, race and public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, said the backlash is based on “a few anecdotal examples of some terrible training module that went haywire.”

In announcing the renaming of the Louisiana State D.E.I. program, the school's president, William F. Tate IV, said that there had been no political pressure.

But he also recently told the faculty senate that “we most certainly have paid attention to the ripple effects that have happened to campuses around the country.” He vowed that the university, one of the most diverse in the Southeastern Conference, is “still committed to D.E.I.”

Todd Woodward, a university spokesman, said that the idea of “engagement,” which is now used instead of “inclusion,” has been the centerpiece of the university’s strategic plan since before Governor Landry was elected.

According to The Chronicle of Higher Education , at least 82 bills opposing D.E.I. in higher education have been filed in more than 20 states since 2023. Of those, 12 have become law, including in Idaho, Indiana, Florida and Texas.

This has led to layoffs and closures. The University of Florida recently announced that it would lay off more than a dozen diversity employees. At the University of Texas at Austin, the Multicultural Engagement Center closed. And about 60 administrators received notices that they would lose their jobs, according to the state chapters of the N.A.A.C.P. and American Association of University Professors. Some Texas campuses shut down their L.G.B.T.Q. centers.

But some schools, even in states with D.E.I. crackdowns, have reacted more moderately.

Florida State University, in Tallahassee, seems to be taking a “damage mitigation approach,” Will Hanley, a history professor at F.S.U., said in an interview.

The school has reshuffled jobs and turned the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office into the Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance and Engagement .

But there have been limits to how far it will go.

F.S.U. students are required to take two “diversity” courses, which include dozens of topics like Buddhist ethics, German literature and L.G.B.T.Q. history. A faculty committee recently proposed renaming the requirement “perspectives and awareness.”

The faculty senate rejected the idea. In the senate meeting, Dr. Hanley, who specializes in the Middle East, said that the new name would obfuscate the requirement’s very intent.

“In the context of attacks on D.E.I., I wondered if changing the name of this requirement gives weight to those attacks,” he said, according to minutes of the meeting.

In Georgia, David Bray, a finance professor at Kennesaw State University, sees things another way, and says that diversity officials should have been eliminated rather than given a new title. Kennesaw State announced last December that its diversity chief would now be the vice president overseeing the Division of Organizational Effectiveness, Leadership Development and Inclusive Excellence .

The move came after the state Board of Regents approved a policy change barring Georgia’s 26 public colleges from requiring applicants and employees to fill out diversity statements.

“It’s the same lipstick on the ideological pig,” said Dr. Bray, who is gay and opposes diversity programs, arguing that they promote equal outcomes rather than equal opportunity. “As soon as D.E.I. was uncovered as political left, they now reinvent the language and have morphed into the ‘sense of belonging’ crew.”

But for many administrators, name changes are often an attempt to keep the mission of diversity programs intact.

Donde Plowman, the chancellor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, told the faculty senate in November that the school had “not historically done well” attracting students from underrepresented groups to its campus. The percentage of Black students declined between 2020 and 2023, from 5.5 percent of total enrollment to 4.2 percent.

After a professor asked whether prospective faculty and lawmakers “looking for red meat” would be put off by the name change of the D.E.I. program, the Division of Diversity and Engagement, Dr. Plowman said, “What has happened is those words have become weaponized — they create noise and distractions away from the real work.”

Thus, the newly renamed Division of Access and Engagement.

Dr. Plowman has “consistently discussed the change to access and engagement on campus as a broadening of our mission to reach and support students, faculty and staff,” said Tisha Benton, a spokeswoman for the chancellor.

Tennessee lawmakers seemed wise to the workaround. A bill introduced in January specifically stated that no such offices should be operating “regardless of name or designation.”

The legislation had seemed destined for passage in the overwhelmingly Republican legislature. But the mood shifted during a committee meeting after members considered a letter from the Knoxville Jewish Alliance, which expressed concern that the ban would limit how the University of Tennessee reached out with support for Jewish students.

The bill was killed, unanimously, on a voice vote.

Stephanie Saul reports on colleges and universities, with a recent focus on the dramatic changes in college admissions and the debate around diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. More about Stephanie Saul