--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe that voting is the first act of…" description: "\"I believe that voting is the first act of building a community as well as building a country.\" — John Ensign" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/john-ensign-22201_believe_i-believe-that-voting-is-the-first-act-o_2098730.jpg" --- # I believe that voting is the first act of building a… ![“I believe that voting is the first act of building a community as well as building a country.” quote by John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/john-ensign-22201_believe_i-believe-that-voting-is-the-first-act-o_2098730.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/john-ensign-22201_believe_i-believe-that-voting-is-the-first-act-o_2098730.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/john-ensign-22201_believe_i-believe-that-voting-is-the-first-act-o_2098730.jpg) > “I believe that voting is the first act of building a community as well as building a country.” [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Voting is presented as the foundational act that creates and sustains both local communities and the nation as a whole. **In simple terms:** Voting builds community and country. Key Takeaway Participate in elections to shape society. Themes civic duty community building political engagement Mood responsible hopeful Type civic motivational When to use this quote - local elections - national referendums - community meetings - policy advocacy Key Concepts democracy social contract collective identity Questions to Reflect On - How does your vote influence community change? - What other actions complement voting? A Different Perspective Voting alone cannot fix systemic issues without broader civic involvement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Building community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building-community/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Community building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community-building/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Voting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voting/) ## Related quotes > [“By going beyond solidarity, individualised lifestyle changes, I saw the incredible transformation that comes from building community power. 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There's nothing more that I need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mr-lee/i-have-no-regrets-i-have-spent-my-life-so-much-of-it-building-up-this-2/) [Mr. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mr-lee/) > [There are some who are scared by unity and by building a country on the basis of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kagame/there-are-some-who-are-scared-by-unity-and-by-building-a-country-on/) [Paul Kagame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kagame/) > [As you're building a country, you have to be thinking about what works at the ground level. And women have their fingers on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swanee-hunt/as-you-re-building-a-country-you-have-to-be-thinking-about-what-works/) [Swanee Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swanee-hunt/) > [Religion has always been a matter of community building; a matter of building precisely those relations of compassion, fellow feeling and - I dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/religion-has-always-been-a-matter-of-community-building-a-matter-of/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) ## More by John Ensign > [It is irresponsible to set an arbitrary cap on how much therapy a Medicare beneficiary can receive. It ignores the health needs of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/it-is-irresponsible-to-set-an-arbitrary-cap-on-how-much-therapy-a/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [If you double count some votes, that makes other votes disenfranchised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/if-you-double-count-some-votes-that-makes-other-votes-disenfranchised/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [In Las Vegas, people know that the odds are stacked against them. On Wall Street, they manipulate the odds while you are playing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/in-las-vegas-people-know-that-the-odds-are-stacked-against-them-on/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [I can honestly say that being a United States Senator has been the honor of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/i-can-honestly-say-that-being-a-united-states-senator-has-been-the/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [Medical liability reform is not a Republican or Democrat issue or even a doctor versus lawyer issue. It is a patient issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/medical-liability-reform-is-not-a-republican-or-democrat-issue-or/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [Often times, the more power and prestige a person achieves, the more arrogant a person can become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/often-times-the-more-power-and-prestige-a-person-achieves-the-more/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [Think about how much it costs to incarcerate someone. Do we want them just sitting in prison, lifting weights, becoming violent and thinking about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/think-about-how-much-it-costs-to-incarcerate-someone-do-we-want-them/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [The act of voting by ordinary Iraqis in the face of extreme danger confirms President Bush's belief that people around the globe, when given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/the-act-of-voting-by-ordinary-iraqis-in-the-face-of-extreme-danger/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [For America's economic future to remain prosperous, we must encourage pro-growth policies so that we continue to be the leader in innovation and entrepreneurship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/for-america-s-economic-future-to-remain-prosperous-we-must-encourage/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [Senator Kerry voted to undermine the troops in the field, and that is not only inexcusable, it is reprehensible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/senator-kerry-voted-to-undermine-the-troops-in-the-field-and-that-is/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [If you find someone who agrees with you 80 percent of the time that is your friend not your enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/if-you-find-someone-who-agrees-with-you-80-percent-of-the-time-that/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [Until we can fully grasp the extent of corruption and fraud involved in the administration of the Oil-for-Food program, and until the United Nations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/until-we-can-fully-grasp-the-extent-of-corruption-and-fraud-involved/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [There's too many people that paint with a broad brush that we're all corrupt, we're all amoral. … And having these kinds of things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/there-s-too-many-people-that-paint-with-a-broad-brush-that-we-re-all/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [The more generous the benefit, the easier you make it to stay on unemployment insurance, and the less incentive there is for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/the-more-generous-the-benefit-the-easier-you-make-it-to-stay-on/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [In 1950, American families sent 1 of 50 of their hard earned dollars to Washington: Today it is 1 in 4.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/in-1950-american-families-sent-1-of-50-of-their-hard-earned-dollars/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) [Explore all 28 John Ensign quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe that voting is the first act of building a community as well as building a country.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Ensign" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/i-believe-that-voting-is-the-first-act-of-building-a-community-as/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/i-believe-that-voting-is-the-first-act-of-building-a-community-as/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/john-ensign-22201_believe_i-believe-that-voting-is-the-first-act-o_2098730.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/john-ensign-22201_believe_i-believe-that-voting-is-the-first-act-o_2098730.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/john-ensign-22201_believe_i-believe-that-voting-is-the-first-act-o_2098730.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe that voting is the first act of building a community as well as building a country.” — John Ensign", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Ensign", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I believe that voting is the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/i-believe-that-voting-is-the-first-act-of-building-a-community-as/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/i-believe-that-voting-is-the-first-act-of-building-a-community-as/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```