Founding Fathers on Voting  

There must be religion.   When that ligament is torn, society is disjointed and its members perish.   Viscious and unreligious rulers, placed in a situation where they can exercize authority for their own profits, will betray their trust.   They take bribes.   they sell laws.   They sell honor in office.   They sell their conscience.   They sell their country.   The most important of all lessons in the announcement of ruin to any state that rejects the precepts of religion.   Therefore, in the upcoming election, withhold your vote from any who would be hostile to basic religious principles. ~ Governor Morris, a Signer of Constitution

Let me... warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.... It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another; foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passion. ~ George Washington, Farewell Address

Every citizen will see: and I hope be deeply impressed with a sense of it: how exceedingly important it is to himself, and how intimately the welfare of his children is connected with it, that those who are to have a share in making us as well as in judging and executing the laws should be men of singular wisdom and integrity. ~ Samuel Adams

When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers just men who will rule in the fear of God. The preservation of a republican government depends on the faithful discharge of this duty; if the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizens will be violated or disregarded. If a republican government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the Divine commands and elect bad men to make and administer the laws. ~ Noah Webster, History of the United States (New Haven: Durrie & Peck, 1832) p.6.

When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers just men who will rule in the fear of God. The preservation of a republican government depends on the faithful discharge of this duty; if the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizens will be violated or disregarded. If a republican government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the Divine commands and elect bad men to make and administer the laws. ~ Noah Webster, History of the United States (New Haven: Durrie & Peck, 1832) p.6.