Voting is the cornerstone of democracy, a powerful tool that gives every citizen a voice in shaping the future. Throughout history, leaders, thinkers, and activists have emphasized the importance of casting a ballot, not just as a right, but as a duty. From securing fundamental freedoms to inspiring social change, voting plays a pivotal role in ensuring that every voice is heard. Whether you’re voting for the first time or are a seasoned voter, these quotes about voting and elections will remind you of the impact your voice can have on the world. Read on for words of wisdom from past and present about the significance of participating in elections.
- “The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” – Abraham Lincoln
- “Voting is the expression of our commitment to ourselves, one another, this country, and this world.” – Sharon Salzberg
- “The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.” – John F. Kennedy
- “Somewhere inside of all of us is the power to change the world.” – Roald Dahl
- “Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision.” – Abraham Lincoln
- “Democracy is not just the right to vote, it is the right to live in dignity.” – Naomi Klein
- “A man without a vote is a man without protection.” – Lyndon B. Johnson
- “Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves, and the only way they could do this is by not voting.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
- “The right to vote is the right upon which all other rights depend.” – Thomas Paine
- “The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democracy.” – John Lewis
- “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.” – Winston Churchill
- “Every election is determined by the people who show up.” – Larry J. Sabato
- “We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” – Thomas Jefferson
- “Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.” – George Jean Nathan
- “To vote is like the payment of a debt, a duty never to be neglected, if its performance is possible.” – Rutherford B. Hayes
- “A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.” – Theodore Roosevelt
- “Voting is not only our right—it is our power.” – Loung Ung
- “In a democracy, the people get the government they deserve.” – Alexis de Tocqueville
- “A vote is a civic sacrament.” – Theodore Hesburgh
- “People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote—a very different thing.” – Walter H. Judd
- “Voting is the foundational act that breathes life into the principle of the consent of the governed.” – DeForest Soaries
- “If voting changed anything, they’d make it illegal.” – Emma Goldman
- “Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.” – George Bernard Shaw
- “The most important political office is that of the private citizen.” – Louis Brandeis
- “Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
- “The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy. It’s how we, the people, participate in the process of forming our more perfect union.” – Barack Obama
- “We vote not because we’re liberal or conservative, but because we’re American citizens, and that is our responsibility.” – George W. Bush
- “Your voice is your vote, and your vote is your voice.” – Anthony T. Hincks
- “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
- “The greatest threat to democracy is indifference.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
- “Voting is the oxygen of democracy. Without it, democracy dies.” – Edward M. Kennedy
- “The right to vote freely for the candidate of one’s choice is of the essence of a democratic society, and any restrictions on that right strike at the heart of representative government.” – Earl Warren
- “Democracy is never a thing done. Democracy is always something that a nation must be doing.” – Archibald MacLeish
- “A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation.” – James Freeman Clarke
- “The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower
- “People shouldn’t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.” – Alan Moore
- “Every citizen of this country should be guaranteed that their vote matters, that their vote is counted, and that in the voting booth, their vote has as much weight as that of any CEO, any member of Congress, or any President.” – Barbara Boxer
- “Voting is how we keep a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” – Hillary Clinton
- “You can’t put democracy and freedom back into a box.” – Aleksander Kwasniewski
- “We electors have an important constitutional power placed in our hands; we have a check upon two branches of the legislature.” – John Adams
- “Elections remind us not only of the rights but the responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy.” – Robert F. Kennedy
- “A free election is one where those in power have enough doubt about the outcome to make it worth rigging.” – Eugene McCarthy
- “If you don’t vote, you lose the right to complain.” – George Carlin
- “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke
- “The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men.” – Lyndon B. Johnson
Final Thoughts on Voting Quotes
As these quotes illustrate, voting is more than just a civic responsibility; it is an act of empowerment and a declaration of hope for a better future. By casting your vote, you are participating in a centuries-old tradition that continues to uphold the values of freedom, equality, and justice. So, when election day comes, remember the weight your vote carries—your voice matters, and the future is in your hands.
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