Should Voting Be Mandatory?
Should voting be mandatory?
I would like to initiate with a quote, which falls apt to the topic and my point of view on it- “A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.” -(Theodore Roosevelt). The answer to the question, 'Should voting be mandatory ', lies in the topic itself. Before I go any further with what my views are, I would like to clear, the basic definition of the word- Vote. “It is a formal Expression of Opinion or Will, in response to a proposed decision” -(Merriam Webster). Voting, in our case, can more specifically be stated as the expression of a person 's opinion towards a political scenario and their choice amongst the options. We are really well aware of the fact that Voting is very important in our Government process, and the voters know that just as well as the candidates. Voting is a very powerful tool in the hands of the voters and it is in them we trust, to pay attention to the beliefs and ideals that a person has, whom they are voting for. It is also the need for votes, which propels a candidate to work hard and produce results based on the promises that need to be fulfilled once he has been elected by a majority of votes. Coming to my views on Mandatory Voting, I personally feel that Mandatory Voting is an abridgment of my freedom. Even though I do have the Right to Vote and I exercise my power, I do feel that voting is a freedom, and not a requirement. Forcing people to vote will inadvertently bring about an increased percentage in the total votes cast in a particular election, but would it necessarily mean that a correct decision has been taken? I like to believe in the simple fact that if one has to be compelled to do something, the job done will not be up to their full potential. Putting it in other words, if all the citizens were to be forced to vote, the better candidate may lose his or her chances of winning just because a majority of voters who do not care really about who they vote for will
I would like to initiate with a quote, which falls apt to the topic and my point of view on it- “A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.” -(Theodore Roosevelt). The answer to the question, 'Should voting be mandatory ', lies in the topic itself. Before I go any further with what my views are, I would like to clear, the basic definition of the word- Vote. “It is a formal Expression of Opinion or Will, in response to a proposed decision” -(Merriam Webster). Voting, in our case, can more specifically be stated as the expression of a person 's opinion towards a political scenario and their choice amongst the options. We are really well aware of the fact that Voting is very important in our Government process, and the voters know that just as well as the candidates. Voting is a very powerful tool in the hands of the voters and it is in them we trust, to pay attention to the beliefs and ideals that a person has, whom they are voting for. It is also the need for votes, which propels a candidate to work hard and produce results based on the promises that need to be fulfilled once he has been elected by a majority of votes. Coming to my views on Mandatory Voting, I personally feel that Mandatory Voting is an abridgment of my freedom. Even though I do have the Right to Vote and I exercise my power, I do feel that voting is a freedom, and not a requirement. Forcing people to vote will inadvertently bring about an increased percentage in the total votes cast in a particular election, but would it necessarily mean that a correct decision has been taken? I like to believe in the simple fact that if one has to be compelled to do something, the job done will not be up to their full potential. Putting it in other words, if all the citizens were to be forced to vote, the better candidate may lose his or her chances of winning just because a majority of voters who do not care really about who they vote for will
Cited: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vote Foreword: on American Exceptionalism; Symposium on Treaties, Enforcement, and U.S. Sovereignty, Stanford Law Review, May 1, 2003, Pg. 1479 http://www.co.madison.tn.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/162 An Act for establishing the constitution of the State of South Carolina, March 19, 1778 George C. Rable. But There Was No Peace: The Role of Violence in the Politics of Reconstruction,