Vanzetta McPherson
(Photo: Handout)

In a democracy, voting is the most cherished right. And yet, in America — the world’s most exemplary democracy — there is no explicit constitutional guarantee of the right to vote. Instead, the right to vote is selectively addressed in constitutional provisions and in federal legislation. The Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most important legislative initiatives in American history, is one of them. The VRA was signed into law 50 years ago Thursday.