Examines "a crucial American struggle: the drive to define and defend government based on 'the consent of the governed.' From the beginning, and at every step along the way, as Americans sought to right to vote, others have fought to stop them. This is the first book to trace the full story from the founders' debates to today's challenges: a wave of restrictive voting laws, partisan gerrymanders, the flood of campaign money unleashed by Citizens United"--Dust jacket flap.