Voting is a pillar of American democracy, but for many, the vote has been out of reach. Professor Doug Spencer explains the past and present of the right to vote in America, and how debates about voter fraud are missing the mark. For More on This Topic: Read his brief, How Surveys Can Strengthen the Voting Rights Act Further Reading: The Dismantling of the Voting Rights Act, Dewey M. Clayton, University of Louisville Restoring the Voting Rights Act Will Not Do Enough to Ensure Fair Elections, Amel Ahmed, University of Massachusetts Amherst