W
hat does a lack of voter turnout indicate and what can be done to increase said turnout?
People will say that their vote means nothing. Some say that they do not understand the issues of the day. Still others say they think all politicians are the same and for many, they just don’t care.
The voter or lack there of is not the problem ... the system that leaves so many voters feeling uninvolved is.
I believe that the problem lies in our misguided belief that voting equals democracy. It does not. Voting is simply a tool for decision-making. Democracy is an action. A population directly involved, talking and debating the issues and then voting is a democracy.
What we have created is a marketing campaign called an election, where there is no debate of real issues and no real room for public involvement, just a beauty contest with less than beauties on the stage before us.
For many the show is boring, trivial and a general waste of time and effort.
Until people become involved in society as active citizens; a voice in the education of there children, a voice in the direction of health care, a voice in the local economy and on and on, until we citizens get off the couch, shut off the TV and go out onto the streets of our communities to really become involved in our society ... we will not have a democracy no matter how many people turn out to vote. And no amount of artificial incentive or law will change this.
Dallas Collis
Parksville