Voting is a right that throughout history, many have fought for and sacrificed everything to achieve. It is a right that millions of people throughout the world still do not enjoy. The right to vote is a privilege. By voting we express our opinions, participate in our society and help to determine our future.
Abraham Lincoln called democracy “Government of the people, by the people and for the people”. It means that we are not here to serve our government; but that our government is here to serve us and we have the right to decide who will represent us and how we want to be represented. We, as a democratic nation have one of the greatest rights any free people can have: the right to vote. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not the President, Prime Minister or other ministers, but the voters of this country. You may sometimes wonder that with millions of people who vote in any election, does your vote really count? Perhaps you feel that if you can’t really make a difference why bother to vote. The truth is that your vote does count and you do make a difference every time you vote. Your vote holds your local and national leaders responsible for the decisions they make. It sends a message about the issues you think are important. Your vote affirms our rights as free citizens to elect our government and take part in democracy. Without voting, there could be no democracy. The government you elect will decide whether to raise or lower taxes, make economic policies that could affect your job and decide when or if to use military force. Voting connects citizens with their political process, as well as to one another. By taking part in an election and by expressing our point of view, we help our democracy work. By agreeing or disagreeing with our leaders we show that the political system can accept different points of view and can resolve them. Voting helps to safeguard our freedom. A democratic community can only survive if its citizens see participation in the political process as a duty and a responsibility. It is critical to understand that if you oppose a particular person, go and vote against him otherwise you will be helping him to win. Good candidates must be supported, irrespective of whether they may win or not, so that they are encouraged rather than embarrassed to stand for election. Our single vote is not important, but collectively all our votes make a huge impact we need to show the political parties that we mean business.
Vote because you care about your community. Vote because you believe in free government and want to add your voice. Vote because it is the right thing to do and it will make you feel good to participate and have a say.
