Voting should be an obligation not an option
Living in America gives each person 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. It is frightening how many of us today have closed ourselves off from the so-vital process of learning about candidates for office and making our voting selections based on actual information (as opposed to sound bites and attack ads) and/or not voting at all.
There are many
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Currently, there are 17 states allowing certain elections to be held by mail. As of today, there are 27 states that offer "no-excuse" absentee voting, allowing any registered voter to request an absentee ballot without requiring that the voter state a reason for his/her desire to vote absentee. (Wendy Underhill)
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 non-voters 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 likely to vote than people without a college degree. Older people are also more likely than younger people to vote. Polls show that young people are more dissatisfied with the government than older citizens are. Then why don’t younger people vote? Some do not vote because they do not know who to vote for. A quarter of nonvoter’s will lie on polls saying that they did vote. If you are going to be ashamed by not voting and afraid to tell someone why, then you should vote. It is very simple. Democracy is starting to be weakened by low turnout at the polls. Steps need to be taken to help
The major reason why people don’t is because they feel like the people running for positions of power aren’t the best people to be the leader of our country. People feel that they shouldn’t waste there vote so they don’t vote. ‘In the 2008 US Presidential election, people sensed a new political star in Obama, someone who would make a difference, and voter turnout was the highest for forty year”. This goes to show that if there is someone that has the potential to be a good leader people will go out and vote because they have a reason
Americans are fortunate enough to have the right to vote, so we should take opportunity to be heard. “...many Americans do not vote” (Doc BE). Some Americans do not take the chance to vote. For example, “Since World War II, no presidential election has ever involved 65% or more of registered voters!” (Doc BE). Voting is important because, “People express their consent or disapproval in many different ways” (Doc BE).
Voting has been a core part of our government since the very beginning, however, many citizens chose not to take part in this essential participation. To prevent any one person from gaining too much power voting was put in place as well as checks and balances in the system by the founding fathers. While not everything is decided by voting because our government is a Constitutional Republic, voting is by far the most important way a citizen can participate in the government. Therefore, it’s baffling that people chose not to vote. As Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting.” While we can all agree that voting is important there is a debate on whether it should be mandatory. Voting should be an optional but important way to participate in the government.
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.
We gripe and complain about the laws that we live with and say we want change, but without using the power to vote, those in office will continue to push forward their own agendas. This is something nonvoters need to realize. People need to be encouraged and educated more on how they have a voice and that every vote matters.
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.
A strong democratic government rest on citizens exercising their power of voting. Even though in many countries including United States, entitled voters don’t vote during Presidential Elections. This paper will explain that Federal Voting should be mandatory in United States. Many people in United States try their best to stay away from political affairs not realizing the importance politics. Voting is one of the most common ways to get involved in politics. Firstly this paper will state the main problems for the non-voters. Moving forward, why it is necessary and important to vote? And lastly the outcomes if people doesn’t voted. Votes determine who will be responsible in considering laws and their enforcement to all the Americans. By this
In our system of government we are privileged with the option to take part in the political process that runs the country. It is our right to vote that lets the people influence change in policy and set the guidelines that politicians must follow to be elected representatives. This precious ability, which is most coveted in most non-democratic countries, is taken for granted in our own.
Only 53.6% of eligible voters vote, leaving 46.4% not voting (“Political Participation in the US”). This 46.4% of people do not believe their votes count. They believe that the Electoral College system cancels out their votes and that the government will not listen anyway. People think that nothing will change due to the incumbency rate in Congress. That is where the people do not see what is really happening. Americans do not vote enough, so they cannot possibly make a change in government when they are not exercising one of their most powerful rights. Citizens of other countries yearn for the right to vote and Americans who fought so hard for this right do not even use it. “US voting rates are among the lowest in the developed world” (“Political Participation in the US”). Young people should be concerned with this issue. Because America has a democratic form of government, political participation is necessary, everyone’s vote counts, and corrections in government can only be made by the people first.
In “Race and Beyond: Why Young, Minority, and Low-Income Citizens Don’t Vote,” Sam Fulwood claims, “Regardless of whether a favored candidate won or popular ballot initiative passed, our nation suffered because of the number of people who didn’t vote at all” (par. 2). I agree with Sam Fulwood and I believe it is so unfortunate that Americans don’t use this right. Voting is one of the most valuable possessions that Americans are given and yet they do not use. Many of the countries around the world do not grant voting rights to their citizens. These countries either have a dictatorship or kingdom which prevents citizens from voting. People need to understand the sufferings of those people who struggled for this right. When the United States
It seems as though the younger population of voters have all grown up in a world where they have been influenced to believe that their one vote will not make a difference, and therefore they do not bother to take the time out of their busy schedules to cast their meaningless vote. In the last presidential election, only one out of four citizens between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four casted their vote (“Is the System broken?”). The opinion that one vote will not make a difference appears to be directly respondent to the younger generation of voters. This generation needs to be educated on the difference that one vote can make.
Why vote? This is a major question among many young Americans today. America's youth, does not take the time to read articles, observe the news, or pay attention to presidential debates and campaigns due to their busy schedules. This creates two problems. First, young voters have little knowledge of current issues in the election. Also as a result, they are unaware of the importance of voting. Each presidential election stirs up an old controversy of whether to vote or not to vote. There are many young people who think that voting is not important; I believe that it is. By voting you are exercising your right as an American to voice your opinion, and young Americans need to become aware of this.
Voting is a central right to each American citizen. Your vote is your chance to be listened, to hold chosen elected officials responsible for their actions and to have a say in vital issues that influences your community. You can 't have an effectively run democratic government without the backing and votes of the citizens. Voting gives the capacity for individuals to express their opinions about the administration. Each vote consoles our majority rule government and makes it stronger; we can 't allow it to weaken and crumble. A large number of Americans battled for our rights, they shed their blood to give us what we have today. Whether you vote or not, somebody will be chosen president. What 's more, that individual will be your leader, settling on choices that influence you and this nation for a long time to come.
Voting is a vital portion of conducting everyday life. Americans have more freedom than many other people in countries around the globe; therefore, it is pertinent to express that freedom in many ways. Up until 1965 when the Voting Rights Act was signed into law, many people of color, gender, and all other classifications in the United States fell under one umbrella: not having the ability to vote. (massvote.org) As far as Americans having the ability to vote, 218,959,000 people have the eligibility to vote as of August 16th, 2015. Out of that significantly large number, 146,311,000 are actually registered to vote. (statisticbrain.com) This large gap in people with the eligibility to vote, and actual registered voters, is very alarming. As an American, it is the right and duty of a citizen to exercise all attainted rights by voting in all elections, even if the favored party seems to lose to no avail. (theodysseyonline.com)