Voting is your voice in our country. When you vote, you help pick the people who make big decisions about your life. These decisions affect things like:
- The schools your children go to
- The roads you drive on
- The healthcare you can get
- The taxes you pay
Why Is Voting Sometimes Hard?
Sometimes voting can be tough. You might need to:
- Take time off work
- Find transportation
- Stand in long lines
- Get special ID cards
- Register ahead of time
Why is it hard? Because your vote has power. Throughout history, some people tried to keep others from voting. They knew that more voters meant more voices and more change.
How Voting Makes a Difference
Voting has changed our country in big ways:
In 1965, the Voting Rights Act helped more Black Americans vote. This led to more Black leaders being elected.
In 2010, a healthcare law passed by just a few votes. This law helped millions of people get health insurance.
Local elections can be decided by just a handful of votes. In 2017, a Virginia House race ended in a tie. The winner was picked by pulling a name from a bowl!
Why Everyone Needs to Vote
A true democracy needs everyone’s voice. When only some people vote:
- Laws might not help everyone
- Some communities get left out
- Leaders might only listen to certain groups
Your vote is your power. When you use it, you help build a country that works for everyone.
Remember: Every vote counts. Your vote counts.Retry
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add to include how people died for the vote and that people often think of general elections but the biggest impact of your vote can be in primaries because low voter turnoutEdit
Why Voting Matters
Voting is your voice in our country. When you vote, you help pick the people who make big decisions about your life. These decisions affect things like:
- The schools your children go to
- The roads you drive on
- The healthcare you can get
- The taxes you pay
Why Is Voting Sometimes Hard?
Sometimes voting can be tough. You might need to:
- Take time off work
- Find transportation
- Stand in long lines
- Get special ID cards
- Register ahead of time
Why is it hard? Because your vote has power. Throughout history, some people tried to keep others from voting. They knew that more voters meant more voices and more change.
People Died for Your Right to Vote
Many brave Americans fought and died so everyone could vote:
- Civil rights marchers were beaten and killed while fighting for Black voting rights
- Women like Susan B. Anthony were arrested and jailed for trying to vote
- Soldiers died in wars to protect our freedom and democracy
These people gave everything because they knew voting matters. They knew it was worth dying for.
How Voting Makes a Difference
Voting has changed our country in big ways:
In 1965, the Voting Rights Act helped more Black Americans vote. This led to more Black leaders being elected.
In 2010, a healthcare law passed by just a few votes. This law helped millions of people get health insurance.
Local elections can be decided by just a handful of votes. In 2017, a Virginia House race ended in a tie. The winner was picked by pulling a name from a bowl!
Primary Elections Matter More Than You Think
Most people only vote in big elections for president. But primary elections can matter even more:
- In primaries, fewer people vote, so your vote counts more
- Sometimes only 10-20% of voters show up for primaries
- The winners of primaries become the only choices in the general election
- In some areas where one party usually wins, the primary basically decides who gets the job
Your one vote in a primary might count 5 times more than in a general election!
Why Everyone Needs to Vote
A true democracy needs everyone’s voice. When only some people vote:
- Laws might not help everyone
- Some communities get left out
- Leaders might only listen to certain groups
Your vote is your power. When you use it, you help build a country that works for everyone.
Remember: Every vote counts. Your vote counts. People died so you could have this right.