Who can vote in federal elections, run for federal office, and serve on a jury in the United States?

Why this is the answer

The answer is a single word, citizens, and the question bundles three things a green card does not give you. Lawful permanent residents pay income taxes like everyone else, and the men among them register for the Selective Service, yet voting in federal elections, running for federal office and sitting on a jury stay with citizenship. Voting comes first. The USCIS study guide calls voting in federal elections both a right and a responsibility, and it is how citizens choose their Representatives, Senators and President. Permanent residents can vote in some local or state elections that do not require citizenship, but federal elections are closed to them. Running for federal office is written into the Constitution itself. A member of the House must be at least twenty-five and a citizen for seven years; a Senator must be at least thirty and a citizen for nine. The presidency asks for more, a natural-born citizen, so a naturalized citizen can serve in Congress but cannot become President. Jury service ties back to the Bill of Rights. The Sixth Amendment promises anyone accused of a crime a trial by an impartial jury, and Article III requires jury trials for crimes. Those juries are made up of citizens, and their participation is part of what keeps a trial fair. USCIS accepts three wordings: “citizens,” “citizens of the United States” and “U.S. citizens.” Any one is a complete answer, and you do not need to repeat the three activities back to the officer. The trap is the word residents. Someone who has lived in the country for many years may be tempted to say “people who live here” or “permanent residents,” which names the very group the question leaves out. A quick test before you answer: if a green card were enough for these three, you would not need a naturalization interview to get them.