The Importance of Voting

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how the vote of the people determines who is in power at the local, state and national level. However, voting is not compulsory and the number of people voting is approaching fifty percent. The paper illustrates how the actual voting population becomes the group that the people in charge aim to please. By choosing to vote every person can gain even a small degree of influence. Apathy, on the other hand, allows those in control to take actions without a high level of concern over how the action will be perceived. The paper concludes that if more of the population voted, there would be a more balanced system of government where everyone is represented and where there is some measure of control over those in power.

From the Paper:

"One of the main arguments against non-voting is that it has no effect. It is a decision not to act done as a form of protest against a system. However, as Dave Renton describes "like all campaigns based on inaction, it is a fundamentally weak gesture. It says to our rulers, "Look, you don't have our support", and they say, "Look, we're not bothered." Michael Staudenmaier makes another argument against voting stating that it has become based on people choosing the lesser of two evils. In effect, people vote because they don't want a certain person in office, not because they want a certain person in office. The problem with this argument is that not voting at all is not a solution."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Haralambos, M., & Holborn, M. (2005). Sociology. New York: HarperCollins.
• Heineman, R.A., Peterson, S.A., & Rasmussen, T.H. (1995). American Government. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Lee, C. (2000). The Apathy Myth: What Really Keeps 100 million Americans From Voting. The Village Voice. Retrieved February 1, 2006. URL: http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0044,lee,19451,1.html
• Renton, D. (2001). Out of Apathy. Retrieved February 1, 2006. URL: http://www.voiceoftheturtle.org/show_article.php?aid=23
• Staudenmaier, M. (2004). Voting Only Makes Things Worse. Retrieved February 1, 2006. URL: http://nefac.net/en/node/1153

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