The Responsibility of Voting
Living in America gives each individual freedom. The freedom is yours to express your own opinion and to vote. Whether or not we choose to exercise these rights is the decision that every American citizen makes. Participating in our government is the single most important power that we as Americans have. Whether it is to elect officials or to amend a law, voting is not only a necessity, but a responsibility. In the 1996 and the 1998 presidential election, the voting turnout was below 50%. It has not been below 50% since 1920.
There are many reasons why citizens choose not to vote. The main reason to not vote is that people believe that their one vote will not matter. If you think that your one
…show more content…
Registered voters can have a ballot sent to their home. That way their is no line or wait, and you can fill it out on your own time, and then mail it back in. Indiana provides a form that can be found at many places that makes it easy to register to vote Public assistance offices are required by Federal and state law to offer voter registration forms.
The “motor voter” bill that went into affect January 1, 1995 sent more that nine million eligible U.S. voters to voter or renew their address. That was a stunning figure since it was a non-presidential election year.
It is a natural thing for people to complain. My mom told me that I could never make everyone happy. So naturally, since not everyone cannot be happy all the time, some people are going to complain. People who do not vote are probably some of the people not happy and complaining about the government at some time or another. What gives nonvoter’s the right to complain? If you are not going to participate in electing the officials, then you should not have the opportunity or privilege in criticizing how they do their job. Some people argue that nonvoters do not vote because they are happy with the government. This does not seem to be the case. The 1996 National Election Study showed that nonvoters were less positive than voters.
There are a variety of characteristics between nonvoters and voters. Citizens with a college degree are more
The voting rate in America has been very low the past few elections. There are many reasons people feel that people aren’t going to the polls to vote. For example so people believe that its because the people running for positions of power aren’t the the best so nobody votes. Other people believe that its or right as Americans to go to the polls on election day. Forcing People to go vote on election day is not democratic because we are given the freedom to do what we want.
In 2004, about 71% of voters were over the age of 60 years old (Doc B). In Peru people over the age of 75 can no longer vote (Doc A). Also, people who are more educated tend to vote more than less educated people. For example, in 2008, only 39.4 % of people with less than a high school diploma voted but, 82.7% of people with a postgraduate education voted (Doc B).
A very controversial topic in the United States is whether or not Americans should be required to vote. Voting is a very essential piece to democracy, but many Americans today are not attending their voting location and supporting the candidate they feel is best. In recent elections, just 60% of registered voters casted their vote for a candidate. This is an issue that many people are not happy about, but whether or not there is reason to fix it is the other side to the case. Voter participation is an issue that has been going on for years, and no laws are in place currently to bring it up. Americans have been proud to live in a “free country”, and a law forcing citizens to vote may be against America’s principles. Compulsory voting should
America is a free country, and voting is an important part of that freedom. Unlike other countries where dictators and monarchs make decisions on behalf of the people, Americans get the right to decide who runs the country and what laws should govern citizens. But even though voting is an important privilege, most Americans simply don't vote, and some of their reasons may surprise you. Here are seven common reasons most Americans don't vote.
The United States of America is a democracy type of country, yet many Americans don’t vote. Many Americans haven’t voted in the presidential election since World War ll. No more than 65% of american citizens have registered to vote. A question that has been asked is if americans should be required to vote and I think that they shouldn’t be required to vote.
In the article “The Myth of the Vanishing Voter” by Michael P. McDonald and Samuel L. Popkin, it is argued that the decline in voter participation in national elections since 1972 is an illusion created by the Bureau of the Census because it uses the voting-age population to calculate voter turnout instead of calculating the population of citizens who are eligible to vote (2001, 963).
America is a free country, and voting is an important part of that freedom. Unlike other countries where dictators and monarchs make decisions on behalf of the people, Americans get the right to decide who runs the country and what laws should govern the citizens. But even though voting is an important privilege, most Americans don 't vote.
In some countries there are legal repercussions for not voting, such as Australia. In ancient Grease, all citizens were required to vote at election time under penalty of imprisonment. This may not be the best course of action for America, were people might see it as imposing on there freedom of choice. There are other less dramatic options that can be considered.
The left (the Labour Party) had already used a form of social compulsion through trade unions getting their supporters to the polls. Bring in compulsory voting would rectify this imbalance between the left and the right votes (Birch, 2009). Furthermore, voters would no longer be in a position to demand transportation to the polls producing lower party cost. Several other factors include: raising turnout, greatening the legitimacy of government, enhancing the public education on politics, and the fact that voting is considered a duty—not only a right (Birch, 2009). Since the adoption the system has widely been supported. At the highest point of support peaked at 73% in favor of compulsory voting
The United States of America is supposed to be a land of freedom where one can exercise the right to have various liberties that are not found in many other countries around the world. Among these liberties is the right to vote in a democratic government. Voting is a privilege in the United States that should not be taken for granted; many countries do not have the luxury of choosing who they want to represent them in government. Or if they do, they have in place a system that is called compulsory voting. Compulsory voting is a system in which voters are obligated to come to their designated polling place on Election Day to place a vote. If
The right to vote has been established in many countries, with its foundation in the democracy of ancient Greece. The founders of the United States used the ideas of the Greeks and saw their democratic result as “an achievement that has come through determination, hard work, struggle, even bloodshed” (Text 4, Lines 1-2) as seen in the American Revolution. The American Revolution was fought over the fundamental ideas of democracy- the right of the citizens of that country to choose the people who speak for their voices in national government. Two hundred and forty years later, many U.S. citizens aren’t using their right to vote that was fought for them and that they believe that voting is like an opinion and “that not having an opinion is
That is what is what’s beautiful about this great nation, we have a chance to let our voice be heard and to make a statement. Besides what do we gain by not voting? Nothing. Voting is like gamble things don’t always stay the same.
II. Main Point: College Students aren’t into the presidential candidates and sometimes they don’t like politics, so they don’t register to vote or vote at all.
Failing to vote is just like your saying that you do not care. When you registering to vote that mean you believe in the candidate you are voting for to make that change. It also means that you believe in your rights to freedom of speech.
Young adults in current times have grown up with many rights that have not always been considered a right but instead a privilege. Voting is one of these rights that was once only considered a privilege, eligible for a particular gender and ethnicity. For many years this meant that the only group of people allowed to vote were white males. Today, things are different and everyone has the choice to vote after they reach the age of eighteen. The right to vote is a powerful right that we must take advantage of because not every country is lucky enough to have a say in their government. Today, in America we have the opportunity to decide if we would like to vote or not. Many Americans take pride in this right as it is considered a civic duty that has not always been eligible to everyone.