Voting gives you a voice in your local government and is one of the best ways to make a change. Your vote helps to ensure that the policies you support are passed and that the people who represent you understand what is important to you. Voting also inspires more people to get involved in their communities, which leads to more civic engagement and a more representative and accountable government.

The right to vote is a hard-fought victory for many groups that have been historically oppressed and marginalized. When you vote, you’re honoring the sacrifices of those who fought to make it possible for everyone to have their voices heard. Those efforts are what made our democracy the greatest in the world, and that’s something to celebrate!

When this country gained independence from Britain, state legislatures retained power to set electoral rules. Most states restricted voting to property-owning white men of a particular Protestant religion. In the 1860s, states began to drop these restrictions and more people began to vote. But the fight for voting rights was far from over.

In 1965, the Voting Rights Act was signed into law and outlawed laws that prevented eligible voters from casting their ballots. The act also required that any changes to electoral procedures be cleared with the Justice Department or the U.S District Court for the District of Columbia. The act was strengthened in 1970, 1975, and 1982.

Today, the fight to secure voting rights is more important than ever. In the past year, a number of states have passed and are considering laws that would make it more difficult to vote. These include voter ID requirements, restrictions on mail-in voting, and broader authority to purge voting rolls. Many of these new laws disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color. These barriers to voting undermine the ability of these communities to elect officials who will address their economic and health disparities.