(ה) בְּנ֥וּ בָתִּ֖ים וְשֵׁ֑בוּ וְנִטְע֣וּ גַנּ֔וֹת וְאִכְל֖וּ אֶת־פִּרְיָֽן׃ (ו) קְח֣וּ נָשִׁ֗ים וְהוֹלִידוּ֮ בָּנִ֣ים וּבָנוֹת֒ וּקְח֨וּ לִבְנֵיכֶ֜ם נָשִׁ֗ים וְאֶת־בְּנֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ תְּנ֣וּ לַֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְתֵלַ֖דְנָה בָּנִ֣ים וּבָנ֑וֹת וּרְבוּ־שָׁ֖ם וְאַל־תִּמְעָֽטוּ׃ (ז) וְדִרְשׁ֞וּ אֶת־שְׁל֣וֹם הָעִ֗יר אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִגְלֵ֤יתִי אֶתְכֶם֙ שָׁ֔מָּה וְהִתְפַּֽלְל֥וּ בַעֲדָ֖הּ אֶל־ה' כִּ֣י בִשְׁלוֹמָ֔הּ יִהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם שָׁלֽוֹם׃ (פ)
(5) Build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat their fruit. (6) Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there, do not decrease. (7) And seek the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you and pray to the LORD in its behalf; for in its prosperity you shall prosper.
רַבִּי חֲנִינָא סְגַן הַכֹּהֲנִים אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי מִתְפַּלֵּל בִּשְׁלוֹמָהּ שֶׁל מַלְכוּת, שֶׁאִלְמָלֵא מוֹרָאָהּ, אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ חַיִּים בְּלָעוֹ. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶן תְּרַדְיוֹן אוֹמֵר, שְׁנַיִם שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין וְאֵין בֵּינֵיהֶן דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, הֲרֵי זֶה מוֹשַׁב לֵצִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים א) וּבְמוֹשַׁב לֵצִים לֹא יָשָׁב. אֲבָל שְׁנַיִם שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין וְיֵשׁ בֵּינֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, שְׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה בֵינֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ג) אָז נִדְבְּרוּ יִרְאֵי ה' אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ וַיַּקְשֵׁב ה' וַיִּשְׁמָע וַיִּכָּתֵב סֵפֶר זִכָּרוֹן לְפָנָיו לְיִרְאֵי ה' וּלְחֹשְׁבֵי שְׁמוֹ...
Rabbi Haninah, the vice-high priest said: pray for the welfare of the government, for were it not for the fear it inspires, every man would swallow his neighbor alive. R. Hananiah ben Teradion said: if two sit together and there are no words of Torah [spoken] between them, then this is a session of scorners, as it is said: “nor sat he in the seat of the scornful…[rather, the teaching of the Lord is his delight]” (Psalms 1:1); but if two sit together and there are words of Torah [spoken] between them, then the Shekhinah abides among them, as it is said: “then they that feared the Lord spoke one with another; and the Lord hearkened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon His name” (Malachi 3:16)...
(ב) איש את רעהו חיים בלעו. זה הענין ר"ל שיש לאדם להתפלל על שלום כל העולם ולהצטער על צער של אחרים. וכן דרכן של צדיקים כמו שאמר דוד ע"ה (תהלים ל"ה י"ג) ׳ואני בחלותם לבושי שק עניתי בצום נפשי׳ - שאין לאדם לעשות תחנוניו ובקשתו לצרכיו לבד אך להתפלל על כל בני אדם שיעמדו בשלום ובשלומה של מלכות יש שלום לעולם:
"Man would swallow his fellow alive" - This is the matter: it means to say that a person should pray for the welfare of the entire world, and to be pained for the pain of others. So is the ways of the righteous, as David (of blessed memory) said: "As they were ill, my clothing was sackcloth, I suffered through a fast." (Psalms 35:13) - A person should not only make personal supplications and requests, but should pray for all people that they remain in peace. And through the peace (and stability) of the government, there will be peace throughout the world.
Similarly, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Three matters are proclaimed by the Holy One, Blessed be He, Himself: Famine, plenty, and a good leader. The Gemara enumerates the sources for these cases: Famine, as it is written: “For the Lord has called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years” (II Kings 8:1). Plenty, as it is written: “And I will call for the grain, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you” (Ezekiel 36:29). And a good leader, as it is written: “And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying: See, I have called by name Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah” (Exodus 31:1–2). With regard to Bezalel’s appointment, Rabbi Yitzḥak said: One may only appoint a leader over a community if he consults with the community and they agree to the appointment, as it is stated: “And Moses said unto the children of Israel: See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah” (Exodus 35:30). The Lord said to Moses: Moses, is Bezalel a suitable appointment in your eyes? Moses said to Him: Master of the universe, if he is a suitable appointment in Your eyes, then all the more so in my eyes. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: Nevertheless, go and tell Israel and ask their opinion. Moses went and said to Israel: Is Bezalel suitable in your eyes? They said to him: If he is suitable in the eyes of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and in your eyes, all the more so he is suitable in our eyes.
(ד) הרדיפה וההגבלה בדרך החיים אינן בעצם תנאי הגלות, ונהפוך הוא, חוב מוטל עלינו לפי היכולת, להאחז במדינה אשר תקבל אותנו לגור בה; להשתדל להוציא לפועל את מטרת המדינה ותועלתה, ובדרשנו את טובת עצמנו, עלינו לדרוש גם את שלומה וטובתה.
(4) To be pushed back and limited upon the path of life is, therefore, not an essential condition of the exile, but, on the contrary, it is our duty to join ourselves as closely as possible to the state which receives us into its midst, to promote its welfare and not to consider our well-being as in any way separate from that of the state to which we belong.
(ב) לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעות - אם הם דנים שלא כדין לפי דעתך ואף על פי שלא יאמינו לך כי אם למרובים.
(2) לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעות, if, in your opinion, the majority are about to commit an error in judgment, do not remain silent because they are the majority, but state your view. This applies even if you know beforehand that they will not accept your viewpoint but that of the majority.
וששאלת אם שנים או שלשה מהבינונים שבעיר יכולין להוציא עצמן מן ההסכמה שיעשו הקהל או מגזרת חרם שיעשו על שום דבר. דע כי על עסק של רבים אמרה תורה אחרי רבים להטות. ועל כל ענין שהקהל מסכימים הולכים אחר הרוב והיחידים צריכים לקיים כל מה שיסכימו עליהם הרבים. דאם לא כן לעולם לא יסכימו הקהל על שום דבר אם יהיה כח ביחידים לבטל הסכמתם, לכן אמרה תורה בכל דבר הסכמה של רבים אחרי רבים להטות
Regarding your question of whether two or three citizens in a city may remove themselves from a communal agreement, or from a decree of cherem on something:
Know, that regarding communal affairs, the Torah says, "lean towards the majority" (a rabbinic translation of Shemot 23:2). Regarding any matter that the community agrees upon, go after the majority, and individuals must uphold everything that the majority decides for them. For if not, the community will never agree about anything, if it was within the power of individuals to negate the agreement. Therefore the Torah says: regarding everything there's an agreement of the majority, "lean towards the majority."
הגה [...] כל צרכי ציבור שאינן יכולין להשוות עצמן יש להושיב כל בע"ב הנותנים מס ויקבלו עליהם שכל אחד יאמר דעתו לשם שמים וילכו אחר הרוב ואם המיעוט ימאנו הרוב יכולין לכוף אותן אפילו בדיני עכו“ם ולהוציא ממון על זה והם צריכין לתת חלקם והמסרב מלומר דעתו ע“פ החרם בטילה דעתו ואזלי‘ בתר רוב הנשארים האומרים דעתן.
Rama: For any community matter on which they cannot find common ground, they should convene all taxpayers, and they should agree that each will voice his view altruistically (literally: for the sake of Heaven), and they will follow the majority. But if a minority refuses [to follow] the majority, it is permissible to force them, even by order of 'star worshippers' (i.e. non-Jews), to pay their share to the tax collector selected. If one boycotts and refuses to offer one’s opinion (i.e. vote), then it is disregarded and the opinions of the majority remaining decide the matter.
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, 1984
On reaching the shores of the United States; Jews found a safe haven. The rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights have allowed us the freedom to practice our religion without interference and to live in this republic in safety.
A fundamental principle of Judaism is hakaras hatov — recognizing benefits afforded us and giving expression to our appreciation. Therefore, it is incumbent upon each Jewish citizen to participate in the democratic system which safeguards the freedoms we enjoy. The most fundamental responsibility incumbent on each individual is to register and to vote.
Therefore, I urge all members of the Jewish community to fulfill their obligations by registering as soon as possible and by voting. By this, we can express our appreciation and contribute to the continued security of our community.
Tale of the Chazon Ish
matzav.com/the-gedolims-view-on-voting-in-the-israeli-elections
On Election Day, the Chazon Ish met this same Jew in the street. “Did you vote yet?” inquired the Chazon Ish.
“No,” was the response.
“Why not?” persisted the Chazon Ish.
“I don’t have the three Israeli pounds to pay the poll tax,” was the answer.
The Chazon Ish would not give up. “Do you own a pair of tefillin?” he continued.
“Of course!” answered the Jew.
“Well, go and sell your pair of tefillin and use the funds to pay the poll tax so that you can go and vote,” said the Chazon Ish.
The Chazon Ish later explained to Rabbi Soroka that wearing tefillin is a mitzvah, but voting in the election is also a mitzvah.
“I’m not worried that this Jew will not put be putting on tefillin,”explained the Chazon Ish. “If need be, he’ll borrow a pair. I am afraid that he won’t perform this other mitzvah – voting in the election.”