Voting has long been the cornerstone of every democracy and the foundation for representative government.
Democracy entails collective diversity and thrusts a civic duty upon its citizens to speak for their own interests as well as for society.
Just as well, from a global and historical perspective, voting has never been and will never be a right; it is a privilege.
The power structures in North Korea, Russia, Nigeria and Iran are a testament to the importance of maintaining a balance of power with the people.
Voter turnout has been consistently abysmal in the United States, striking rates as low as 53.6 percent in the 2012 election and worse for mid-terms.
This cannot continue to be an acceptable norm when more than 20 developed nations continue to rank above us in voter participation, many around the 80th percentile. The U.S. declares itself a champion of historical and modern democracy, but our voter turnout statistics show otherwise.
This election has turned many voters off from both main party candidates, and some are considering abstaining from the voting process entirely.
To the voter considering abstention: don’t.
From a democratic perspective, a more representative vote is not a concept many would argue against; the principle is a non-negotiable pillar of our government.
