Voting SHOULD be mandatory

Voting is an indication of support, a formal expression of an opinion, to which it can reject or grant a decision or interest. It is part of the responsibility of the citizens. Voting is included in democratic process and this method is used in order to make a decision in debates and electoral campaigns. 

It is a right to vote and as stated in the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines Article V that “all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, who are at least eighteen years of age, and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at least one year, and in the place wherein they propose to vote, for at least six months immediately preceding the election.” Citizens elect fellow citizens to recognize that each vote matters, gives victory to the candidates, and helps sustain the political system of the nation. Voting should be mandatory, to cast a vote is a fundamental right, because it is not just about the victory of political parties but it justifies the existence of the country’s political system. A vote plays an important role in the turnout of the political system, as the taxpayers, a citizen is responsible and has the freedom to choose and the capacity to determine persistence and its development. Voting has the power to allow the system to achieve a sense of internal cohesion, so that the society can function as a whole, and can result in how the elected candidates or the political system serve the interests of the citizens. Voting should be mandatory, as citizens every vote and its result reflects our emotions and expectations towards the political system itself. 

Voting should be mandatory, for instance if voting is compulsory then the risks of lower income is low and ends up controlling leadership and policy decisions. According to Fair Vote, If a state legally compels its citizenry to vote, the burden shifts from the individual to the state to ensure that everyone has the means to be able to take part in elections. Although studies say that it could produce misleading uninformed voters, It is often asserted that uninformed voters are more susceptible to the influence of money and spending on television ads, also stated in Fair Vote. This can be resolved by Voter Education Module, entitled “Your Vote. Our Future”– the module then serves to contribute to the efforts at effecting matured and informed political attitudes and decisions of Filipino citizen voters. The advantage of mandatory voting is that everyone will take part in the election process and this will alter the country’s civic norms. 

Voting leads to a brighter future. In fact, voting should not be the one that is just mandatory but also the voting education program. Way back 2019, students from Nord Anglia International School Manila, designed the Boto Mo Bukas Ko programme; meaning “your vote is my future”. This BMBK educates and empowers young voters, encourages and is aimed at 11-17 year olds, and teaches young Filipinos about democracy and good governance and why their vote impacts the state of the nation. Relating to this idea, this only proves and shows that voting gives an impact to the future of the nation. 

In conclusion, the idea of mandatory voting may have its advantages and disadvantages but with proper education and governance, it can be and should be achieved. Mandatory voting brings the nation as one and every citizen can express their own opinion and have the freedom to choose and vote whom they want. Voting is part of the duties of citizenship, would make the citizens be responsive,and could positively alarm the political system.

Sources:

Borja, A. L. (2015, August 1). Why should we vote? Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/voices/ispeak/vote-philippines-elections

Election Terminology Glossary - Draft. (n.d.). Election Glossary. Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://pages.nist.gov/ElectionGlossary/

FairVote.org. (n.d.). The Pros and Cons of Requiring Citizens to Vote. FairVote. Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://www.fairvote.org/the_pros_and_cons_of_requiring_citizens_to_vote

Official Gazette. (n.d.). THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES – ARTICLE V | GOVPH. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/constitutions/the-1987-constitution-of-the-republic-of-the-philippines/the-1987-constitution-of-the-republic-of-the-philippines-article-v/

Voting for a brighter future. (2019, May 27). Nordangliaeducation. https://www.nordangliaeducation.com/news/2019/05/27/voting-for-a-brighter-future