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I Have the Right to Vote…Right?My favorite section of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is Article 21, which states that “everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.” Why is this section so important? After all, if you’re a citizen of the United States and 18 or older, you have the right to right to vote…right? 
Sadly, you don’t. Many Americans believe that the U.S. Constitution grants citizens the right to vote, but it doesn’t. Rather, the Constitution merely says you cannot deny individuals the right to vote due to race, gender or age. Nowhere does the Constitution say voting is a right. We just finished one of the biggest and most expensive elections in the history of the United States and it seems like you couldn’t do anything without having celebrities, candidates and your co-workers urging you to vote. Voting is, after all, our greatest civic duty . What could be more fundamentally American than the right to vote? Apparently the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 21. More information on the ACLU’s work on voting and human rights is available in Out of Step With the World: An Analysis of Felony Disfranchisement in the U.S. and other Democracies. Celebrate the UDHR at 60 with the ACLU. Visit www.udhr60.org and sign the ACLU’s petition calling on the government and newly elected president to recommit to the UDHR. On December 10, the ACLU’s efforts will culminate in the online launch of an exclusive publication about the importance of the UDHR.
Tags: UDHR
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Dec 8th, 2008 at 4:18pm
If the Constitution said:
"You can't take someone's car due to the color being red or black"
Would your interepretation be that the car in the sentence is not a car?
The Constitution is acknowleging that it *is* a right, because it's referring to it as a right in it's very own sentence.
Dec 8th, 2008 at 5:07pm
well you right because people should the right to vote if want to freely. Not that you can;t deny us from voting. I agree that it should be a right!
Dec 9th, 2008 at 3:38pm
I think that, the only rule of voting should be age. Not race or anything like that. But i do find it kind of interesting that Nowhere does the Constitution say voting is a right. Although its not based on nationality or any thing like that.
Dec 9th, 2008 at 4:20pm
I also agree all people should be able to vote, no matter there race and about the car thing it doesnt realy make sense.
Dec 9th, 2008 at 8:08pm
I agree because everyone should have the right for them self each one should respect what they wan to be in life.
Dec 10th, 2008 at 7:27am
I think this is a bit confused: Voting is indeed a right in this country. It's an *alienable* right, a right you can lose for cause. This is quite appropriate, since voting, unlike freedom of speech, is not a right one exercises for one's own sake, but as a right to participate in larger society. And so the state of your relationship to that larger society is relevant.
Dec 10th, 2008 at 3:56pm
Im a 10th grade student in lincoln west high school. By reading I have the right to vote.... right? my opinion about this is that anybody thats not part of this country, they become part of this country because of the Declaration of Humans Rights which this led people take part of the government of this country. This is my opinion about the Voting Rights.
Dec 11th, 2008 at 3:30pm
Hey I'm from lincoln west higth school and i'm just here because i have to do my homework about this web for my american history so i don't really have anything to said because I think this confuse. HEY MR. HONS I DID MY HOMEWORK!!!!!
Dec 11th, 2008 at 10:52pm
I'm a student from lincoln west high school.I thought this blog was very interestinq!!!
Dec 12th, 2008 at 6:15am
Well the whole car thing dosen't really make sense but we are all equal. No matter the race or color of our skin we should and are able to vote.
Dec 12th, 2008 at 9:41am
I AGREE WITH THIS BLOG BECAUSE I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND NOT JUST BECAUSE WE'RE 18.AND JUST FOR THE RECORD OBAMA!!!BABY OOOH YES HE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!
SEE MR HONS I DID MY HOMEWORK AND IT WAS TOTALLY COOL..THANKS
Dec 14th, 2008 at 11:24pm
I don't think voting should be considered a right because i think it should be expected. Of everyone who is an adult and is in there right state of mind.
Dec 21st, 2008 at 5:59pm
You're looking in the wrong place.
The U.S. Constitution specifies that the states will each determine how their Electors (who vote for US Pres. and VP) will be determined. You need to be looking there.
The U.S. Constitution specifies who may vote for those Electors, as well as for various state offices, if their state provides for them to be elected by citizens.
Jim
Jan 22nd, 2009 at 10:03am
> After all, if you’re a citizen of the United States and 18 or older, you have the right to right to vote
If you're under eighteen you have the right to vote, the Government just won't let you anyway.
> the Constitution merely says you cannot deny individuals the right to vote due to race, gender or age. Nowhere does the Constitution say voting is a right.
If the right to vote cannot be denied based upon race, gender, or age, there's clearly a right being protected.