The Right To Vote ∞
With the upcoming European parliamentary elections and the low predicted turnout, I started thinking about our right to vote. It is a privilege, and one that countless millions of people have fought for etc. But why do so many people not choose to excercise this privilege?
It doesn’t exactly take a lot of time, perhaps 15 minutes, or less if you will be passing the polling place anyway (what was wrong with polling station?)
Some people argue that Both parties are as bad as each other, well thankfully this is not America, we have more than 2 parties. Vote for the Green Party, or the Lib Dems if you dont like Labour or the Tories. Make a point against our country’s support for the illegal invasion of Iraq, or the state of the country’s transport infrasturcture, or the NHS… vote for someone else. Or vote for Labour if you think they are doing a good job, it is not for me to say who you should vote for.
The fewer people that vote, the fewer people will be happy with the result. It will be a minority that decide the outcome. How can this be “a good thing”™.
I think that people who give up their chance to vote, should also give up their chance to complain about the government. Elections are the “standard” way to say who we think should run the country (or union of countries). If you are not going to participate in this, why should people listen to your voice afterwards?
I am definately in a minority (especially of people my age) that think that because we have the right to vote, it is right for us to vote. That we should go out of our ways (albiet slightly) to excercise our democratic voice.
p.s. Polling day is June the 10th in case you didn’t know, now you have no excuses not to vote.