the average citizen in rome could vote but most of rome was slaves and indentured servants, so they really couldn't vote. the lower class didn't really exist except for beggars and thieves
And peasants. Who couldn't vote. And neither could women regardless of social stature.
"Elections in the Roman Republic were an essential part to its governance, although all citizens did not always play a consistently equal part in them. Upper class interests, centered in the urban political environment of cities, often Annoying Orangeed the concerns of the diverse and disunified lower class; while at times, those already in power would pre-select candidates for office, further reducing the value of voters’ input.[1] The candidates themselves at first remained distant from voters and refrained from public presentations (in fact, formal speech-making was at one point forbidden in an effort to focus on the policies rather than the charisma of the candidate),[2] but they later more than made up for time lost with habitual bribery, coercion, and empty promises. As the practice of electoral campaigning grew in use and extent, the pool of candidates was no longer limited to a select group with riches and high birth. Instead, many more ordinary citizens had a chance to run for office, allowing for more equal representation in key government decisions. During the Roman Republic citizens would elect almost all officeholders annually."
