--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Voting is the first duty of democracy." description: "\"Voting is the first duty of democracy.\" — Lyndon B. Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/lyndon-b-johnson-684_democracy_voting-is-the-first-duty-of-democracy-23_2396353.png" --- # Voting is the first duty of democracy. ![“Voting is the first duty of democracy.” quote by Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/lyndon-b-johnson-684_democracy_voting-is-the-first-duty-of-democracy-23_2396353.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/lyndon-b-johnson-684_democracy_voting-is-the-first-duty-of-democracy-23_2396353.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/lyndon-b-johnson-684_democracy_voting-is-the-first-duty-of-democracy-23_2396353.png) > “Voting is the first duty of democracy.” [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) ## 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 the fundamental responsibility that sustains democratic governance. **In simple terms:** Voting is a core civic duty. Key Takeaway Exercise your vote. Themes civic duty democracy participation Mood serious hopeful Type political inspirational When to use this quote - elections - community meetings - public debates - policy discussions Key Concepts citizen engagement political responsibility Questions to Reflect On - Why is voting essential for democracy? - What barriers prevent people from voting? A Different Perspective Voter apathy can undermine representation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Duty Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty-democracy-2350047/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Voting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voting/) [Voting Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voting-duty-2350049/) ## Related quotes > [We preach the virtues of democracy abroad. We must practice its duties here at home. Voting is the first duty of democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/we-preach-the-virtues-of-democracy-abroad-we-must-practice-its-duties/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I have been thinking a lot about these things as I have come to the realization of the tremendous responsibilities which rest upon me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-harding/i-have-been-thinking-a-lot-about-these-things-as-i-have-come-to-the/) [Warren G. Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-harding/) > [A thing that troubles me is party alliances. A party has a certain ideology and we vote according to that. But after the voting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-kapoor/a-thing-that-troubles-me-is-party-alliances-a-party-has-a-certain/) [Kunal Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-kapoor/) > [In reality, there is no such thing as not voting: you either vote by voting, or you vote by staying home and tacitly doubling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/in-reality-there-is-no-such-thing-as-not-voting-you-either-vote-by/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [Voters went to the polls in record numbers in 2020 to make their voices heard, and it's crucial that Congress takes action to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-ray-lujan/voters-went-to-the-polls-in-record-numbers-in-2020-to-make-their/) [Ben Ray Lujan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-ray-lujan/) > [Voting is fundamental in our democracy. It has yielded enormous returns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/voting-is-fundamental-in-our-democracy-it-has-yielded-enormous-returns/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [I don't think with today's technology we can have a voting system that is fully electronic that can be trusted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi-rubin/i-don-t-think-with-today-s-technology-we-can-have-a-voting-system/) [Avi Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi-rubin/) > [In a democracy, voting is a huge and most important right of a common man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/in-a-democracy-voting-is-a-huge-and-most-important-right-of-a-common/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [ \[James\] Madison pointed out in the discussion of the constitutional debates - the constitutional convention - that democracy would be a danger. He used… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/james-madison-pointed-out-in-the-discussion-of-the-constitutional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I'm a registered Independent. But my brother says it's obvious that I'm a Republican sympathizer. Once I get in the voting booth, it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-baldwin/i-m-a-registered-independent-but-my-brother-says-it-s-obvious-that-i/) [Stephen Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-baldwin/) > [Ranked Choice Voting is simple, empowers voters, and rewards candidates who broaden support beyond their base.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-phillips/ranked-choice-voting-is-simple-empowers-voters-and-rewards-candidates/) [Dean Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-phillips/) > [The voting booth joint is a great leveler; the whole neighborhood - rich, poor, old, young, decrepit and spunky - they all turn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/the-voting-booth-joint-is-a-great-leveler-the-whole-neighborhood-rich/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [If Robert Heinlein is more to your taste than George Lucas: “If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/if-robert-heinlein-is-more-to-your-taste-than-george-lucas-if-you-are/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More by Lyndon B. Johnson > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Each year more than 100,000 high school graduates, with proved ability, do not enter college because they cannot afford it. And if we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/each-year-more-than-100-000-high-school-graduates-with-proved-ability/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Knowledge is of two kinds: we know a subject itself, or know where to find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/knowledge-is-of-two-kinds-we-know-a-subject-itself-or-know-where-to/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [We come to reason, not to dominate. We do not seek to have our way, but to find a common way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/we-come-to-reason-not-to-dominate-we-do-not-seek-to-have-our-way-but/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I have learned that only two things are necessary to keep one's wife happy. First, let her think she's having her own way. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-have-learned-that-only-two-things-are-necessary-to-keep-one-s-wife/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [For me, it is a deep personal tragedy. I know that the world shares the sorrow that Mrs. Kennedy and her family bear. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/for-me-it-is-a-deep-personal-tragedy-i-know-that-the-world-shares-the/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Today, 8 million adult Americans, more than the entire population of Michigan, have not finished 5 years of school. Nearly 20 million have not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/today-8-million-adult-americans-more-than-the-entire-population-of/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Republicans simply don't know how to manage the economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/republicans-simply-don-t-know-how-to-manage-the-economy/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I don't believe I'll ever get credit for anything I do in foreign affairs, no matter how successful it is, because I didn't go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-don-t-believe-i-ll-ever-get-credit-for-anything-i-do-in-foreign/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [There are no favorites in my office. I treat them all with the same general inconsideration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-are-no-favorites-in-my-office-i-treat-them-all-with-the-same/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I'm the only president you've got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-m-the-only-president-you-ve-got/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I am afraid, ... that health begins, after seventy, and often long before, to have a meaning different from that which it had at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-am-afraid-that-health-begins-after-seventy-and-often-long-before-to/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [The family is the corner stone of our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/the-family-is-the-corner-stone-of-our-society/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Never make a speech at a country dance or a football game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/never-make-a-speech-at-a-country-dance-or-a-football-game/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Our society is illuminated by the spiritual insights of the Hebrew prophets. America and Israel have a common love of human freedom and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/our-society-is-illuminated-by-the-spiritual-insights-of-the-hebrew/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) [Explore all 411 Lyndon B. Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. 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But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. 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