The Alliance for American Rule of Law is proud to be a member of the Nation of Laws Coalition (NOLC)—a nonpartisan group of lawyers, bar associations, and pro-democracy organizations that has mobilized thousands of lawyers to stand up for the Rule of Law nationwide. Through its 2026 Lawyer’s Get Out the Vote (GOVT) Toolkit, NOLC equipped lawyers nationwide to draft Constitution Day Op-Eds celebrating the power and duty of voting, along with other GOTV activities.
In celebration of Constitution Day this September 17, our Alliance is excited to share this special guest essay from NOLC partner and volunteer, Michael Curry, and Barbara A. Radnofsky. Brief author biographies can be found at the end of this piece.
By Michael Curry and Barbara A. Radnofsky
On Constitution Day, we honor the document that establishes our democracy and the voters who sustain it. This day is especially meaningful in this 250th anniversary year of the 1776 Declaration of Independence. The Declaration’s authors envisioned a government deriving its powers from “the consent of the governed” and dedicated to securing our “unalienable rights” to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” To that end, the Constitution, signed in 1787 and strengthened by the Bill of Rights ratified in 1791, established a government that included protection for fundamental rights and freedoms. But those protections endure not on paper alone. They depend on our collective commitment through active participation in our democracy.
We participate when we exercise our rights to peaceably assemble and protest with others in public against government violations of democratic principles and norms. We participate when we exercise our right to free speech to stand up for the constitutional rights of others, as well as ourselves. We participate when we work to elect candidates who respect the Rule of Law and our democratic institutions. And we participate when we defend the truth and refuse to let public falsehoods go unanswered, recognizing the corrosive effect that lies and disinformation exert on a democratic society.
Nothing is more important to sustaining our constitutional democracy than the vote. As Congressman John Lewis reminded us, the right to vote “is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democracy.” Voting is the fundamental right and privilege of citizenship; it is our ultimate protection against tyranny and is the guardian of our everyday freedoms. Elections embody “the consent of the governed,” but they are also the means by which we withdraw that consent. Through voting, we hold government officials accountable to the Constitution and to the people.
Threatened by the power of the vote, some folks support steps that make it more difficult to vote. They would make voter registration and proof of voter eligibility more complicated, including limiting the times, places, and manner of casting a ballot. Others invite cynicism by insinuating that voting does not matter because election processes are corrupt, and results are rigged or predetermined. All these extraordinary efforts to make voting harder, more frustrating, or seemingly pointless ironically underscore both the power of your vote and the importance of casting it. Courts have stopped some of these measures that violate the law, while allowing others that fall within the law, even though they may be undemocratic. That is why the most immediate and decisive response is for citizens to confirm that they are properly registered and then, regardless of the obstacles placed in their way, vote.
Voting isn’t just about supporting our democracy, defending our rights and freedoms against attacks, and exercising our constitutional rights. We vote because election outcomes directly impact our everyday lives. Elections lead to policies and laws that determine our work conditions, housing, the cost of living, and family life. They give citizens a voice in public decisions about school funding, public safety, health care, and local regulations. What you feel at the grocery store, the kitchen table, at the gas pump, and when looking at your paycheck is the consequence of an election. Through your vote, you consent or withhold your consent to the actions and policies of your government.
This year’s Constitution Day is best understood alongside the commemoration of the Declaration of Independence. It is fitting that this is an election year—one in which we can celebrate the Declaration’s promise, and work to advance the Constitution’s pursuit of a more perfect Union through our vote.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Michael Curry is a University of Texas Law School graduate and a member of the San Antonio and Austin Bars. Retired, he volunteers with Lawyers Defending American Democracy and the Nation of Laws Coalition.
Barbara A. Radnofsky has been an attorney since 1979, and is a grandmother of five, mother of three, wife, and mediator. She was a former Texas Democratic Party nominee for U.S. Senate and for Texas Attorney General.
We encourage readers to explore the full 2026 Lawyer’s Get Out the Vote Toolkit and all its accompanying resources on the Nation of Laws Coalition website. Use the Tookit to craft your own Op-Ed, speak out on social media through ready made-posts and graphics, encourage your bar to stand up for election integrity, and help others in your community exercise their right to vote.
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