Is voting a right or a privilege?
Voting is a duty. If we want to enjoy a system of self-government, we need the participation of each citizen to assure that our collective decisions benefit from the full wisdom of our people and honestly convey the consent of the governed. Erecting barriers to voting not only deprives individuals of their right to participate, but also denies our whole country the freedom to live in a true democracy. That’s why the U.S. government describes voting and jury duty as two key responsibilities in its test for new citizens (PDF) who are applying for naturalization.
