The process of voting is a fundamental right and privilege of any democracy. In fact, "Merriam-Webster" defines the word democracy as "a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections." The history of voting rights in the United States has been a long and evolving process that continues to this day. This article takes a close look at contemporary voting rights issues--voter identification laws, "English only" laws, and felon disenfranchisement. These issues suggest how voting rights can be adversely affected by the most seemingly ordinary requirements. (Contains 14 notes.)