|
|
Voting: So (A)-pathetic |
|
|
|
Why is it so hard to vote? |
|
|
|
Phillip Hong
1 November, 2008 |
|
|
|
Even with minority governments, the time in
which we can exercise such a fundamental right is so easily wasted and
ignored by an uninterested public. |
|
|
|
I turned eighteen years old the day before
municipal elections were held back in 2006. All I had to do, even without
my name on the official voters' roll at the time, was to bring appropriate
identification. It was easy, quick, painless and I got to say it was a
calming feeling. |
|
|
|
Earlier that day, a female friend and I
were trolling (which is probably a lousy way to describe it) on Yonge
Street in Toronto, entering an adult-themed shop just because I could as
a person over the age of majority. It wasn't as painless or calming as
voting, but for some voters they would rather enter an adult shop than
vote at all. |
|
|
|
For the record, I glanced and gave a
disgusted look considering my naivete and baby face to boot, dragging my
suddenly amused female friend out of the store. |
|
|
|
People are definitely not liking the
government as we see it in general. I'm certainly not thrilled with
partisanship, or corporate donations, or moustaches for that matter. But
voting was a right that we as a country fought for in war and with the
British. |
|
|
|
I'm sure that this history lesson has
already bored most apathetic voters I'm trying to convince. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Election laws stipulate that you have the
time to vote. You can be excused from work or probably school just to slip
that ballot into the ballot box. |
|
|
|
But why such low turnouts these days? Sure,
we're not satisfied with politics. |
|
|
|
But without voting, even with a spoilt or
blank ballot, you as a non-voter has given all permission to let the
current system continue its apathetic voter-making ways. |
|
|
|
So take your damn Voter Information Card,
and say what you need to say on that small piece of paper. Why is it so
hard to vote? |
|
|
|