WILL YOU VOTE?
Voting, or voter participation, is critical for democratic governance, meaning citizens have a say in how and who governs them. The decision to vote or not has become debatable in Ghana due to factors of philosophical, practical, and emotional considerations. Among the most widely cited reasons for encouraging voter participation is the fact that if you don't vote for your party or candidate into office, someone else will vote for a party or candidate you don’t want into office. This analogy reflects the power of a single vote in establishing leadership to bring policies affecting the livelihood of citizens. Again, voting is said to be a way of demonstrating patriotism as a tribute to all the sacrifices of the individuals and organizations who fought for the basic right to vote.
Voting philosophically fits in well with the social contract theory, with the assumption that a citizen either implicitly or explicitly gives up some of their freedoms, thereby agreeing to exist under the authority of a government in return for the protection of the rest of their rights. By voting, the citizen keeps their part of the social contract and keeps the government responsible and accountable to the people. Secondly, elections allow the citizens to express their values and preferences, whereby the voters support a particular candidate or policy to be made into action.
On the opposing side, it can be true that there are good reasons for not voting. A significant point is the perception that elected leaders or governments often do not seek individual opinions before making decisions. So as an individual, whether I vote or not, my individual opinion will not matter. Henceforth, this might breed a measure of disillusionment amongst voters because they might feel the real substance of their votes is meaningless in the first place. It might as well show that leaders, elected or not, might continue doing what they fancied from various agendas convinced mainly out of party ideologies rather than what the masses prefer.
Moreover, the parliamentary system, which should ensure that an individual’s opinion is represented or made to matter, doesn’t function as such. The practice in parliament where party whips dictate and members are supposed to vote with a certain level of party loyalty rather than what their constituents want has further weakened the voice of the individual. This has created a detachment between the elected official and his or her electorates.
Another factor causing concern is the integrity of the electoral system or process itself. Some believe that the system can be rigged or manipulated and therefore cast a shadow of doubt on whether their vote matters. This doubt might discourage some from participating, for they might think that the outcome is already predetermined or that their choice might not reflect their voter choice accurately.
Philosophically, the question of voter participation can be narrowed down to existentialism and utilitarianism. Existentialists would maintain that voting is a personal affair that an individual makes following his or her concerns and values. To vote or abstain is a matter of personal choice that is heavily informed by an individual's worldview. The utilitarian position may look at newer, wider consequences of participation. They might, for instance, hold that voting is the best means imaginable to represent the majority, that it is to ensure the greatest good for the greatest number. At the same time, utilitarians would argue that if it is clear that the electoral process is manipulated, to begin with, then choosing not to vote might indeed be a rationale that allows one to preserve his or her conscience and not legitimize an unjust electoral process.
Voting and abstaining from voting are two equally valid choices and expressions of free will; each comes with its reasons for and against, and each has reasons equally valid depending on circumstances. Voting or abstaining is a personal choice with different variables. Voting is the most drastic means of playing out the future; nevertheless, there is ground behind not voting. Ultimately, it's an individual choice, and it will depend on weighing both arguments to decide which conforms with the individual’s principles and beliefs. When it comes to democracy, both participation and abstention are equally valid forms of expression.
References
Stacey, T. (2022). Saving Liberalism from itself: The Spirit of Political Participation. Policy Press.
Lee, C. (2021). Deliberative Democracy: John Dewey and Alasdair MacIntyre, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
Comments
Post a Comment