'Voices and Votes' exhibit opens Saturday

The "Voices and Votes: Democracy in America" exhibit opens Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Priest River Library, West Bonner Library District officials said.

Presented through the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street program, "Voices and Votes" is based on a major exhibition at the National Museum of American History and examines how Americans have engaged with the democratic process — from revolution and suffrage to civil rights and civic participation today. The exhibition draws connections between past and present and encourages visitors to consider what democracy means in their own communities, Megan Mize, WBLD director, said.

The "Voices & Votes: Democracy in America" exhibit is sponsored by the West Bonner Library District, the Idaho Humanities Council and the Smithsonian Institution. The exhibit is open during all library hours. 

"When American revolutionaries waged a war for independence, they took a leap of faith that sent ripple effects across generations," officials said in a press release about the exhibit. "They embraced a radical idea of establishing a government that entrusted the power of the nation not in a monarchy, but in its citizens."

That great leap sparked questions that continue to impact Americans:  

• Who has the right to vote? 

• What are the freedoms and responsibilities of citizens? 

• Whose voices will be heard? 

• How do you participate as a citizen? 

Officials said the exhibit will be a springboard for discussions about those very questions and how they are reflected in local stories. It is based on a major exhibition currently on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History called "American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith." 

"Voices and Votes" has many dynamic features: historical and contemporary photos; educational and archival video; engaging multimedia interactives with short games and additional footage, photos, and information; and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material.  

"Our democracy demands action, reaction, vision, and revision as we continue to question how to form 'a more perfect union,'" officials said. "From the revolution and suffrage, to civil rights and casting ballots, everyone in every community is part of this ever-evolving story — the story of democracy in America."