In most western societies, we have a right to vote; people have died fighting for this right. Today, it appears that some people do not want to exercise it, but I believe that voting is extremely important, and that everyone should vote since the government has the power to modify healthcare, education, and policies that affect our daily lives.
Voting is the most basic form of political participation. Every citizen has the right to vote; it is a civic duty and responsibility, not a privilege. As such, voting is one of the most important ways in which you can make your voice heard as a citizen. By voting, you demonstrate that you care about issues that affect the society. In addition, voting does more than just determine who goes into office: it also influences public policy outcomes by influencing how much money is spent by candidates and parties during election campaigns and by affecting which issues are discussed by elected officials once they are in office.
Citizens can hold elected officials accountable for their policies and actions by voting, which influences public policy results, and it’s also a cornerstone of democracy: voting allows you to join other members of your community in deciding how they’ll be governed. You can help determine who will represent you and what laws they will pass on matters that are important to you by voting in every election, whether it is local, or national.
International law, notably the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 and ratified by member countries in 1976, guarantees the right to vote. The UDHR specifies that everyone has the “right to all other rights” enumerated in its articles, including the right to vote, and that no one should be denied any of these rights because of their nationality, race, sex, or religion.
Our best bet, in my opinion, is to vote for the person we believe will do the best job. We all have various opinions about what makes a good leader, and it’s acceptable if someone else believes differently than you do!
The bottom line is that voting is important. It is a civic duty and responsibility, it ensures that your voice is heard when it comes to government choices that affect you and everyone else in the community. It is how we select the leaders who make decisions affecting our lives, from taxes to education to foreign policy. I hope this essay has provided you with some food for thought regarding why voting matters.
Your vote is important!
Nikos Tzivanakis 