Is It Important to Vote

A democracy is a place where everyone has rights and freedoms. Freedom of speech, religion, the right to hold public office and the right to vote. Also a place where government is by the people and for the people. The United Kingdom is a representative democracy. This means that everyone over the age of 18 can vote in elections, and the people they elect then represent their interests and make the decision. It’s important for everyone to vote because the representatives decide what taxes you will pay.

Also they form the government/council which decides all sorts of major issues such as education, laws, and the police. If people stopped voting, there would probably be a dictatorship where many freedoms would be taken away. If we don’t vote ordinary people are involved in political parties and in national/local government, they can be taken over by people who may represent a minority interest. People’s rights and freedoms are preserved by elected representatives so it is important many people, as possible vote.

To vote is to give a voice in playing a role in positive change. Many men and women died for our right to vote, as well as the other rights we now take for granted. Women could not vote for many years because they were not considered an important part of decision making. Such as the suffragettes fought for female votes which was achieved in success in 1918. In some countries today some people do not have a choice to vote. Black people in South Africa were not able to vote until 1994.

Also there are some dictatorships in some countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Libya. Now we all have a responsibility to make the world a better place and we now have the right to do so. Women more than ever now should apply their right to vote. All policies are made by the elected officials we get into office. All policies affect each and every citizen. I think it’s important to vote because of the great amount of power politicians have – particularly the control they have over our society of everyday life: education, health, policing and social services.

A general election is the public’s big chance to change how society is run. We should read the news and understand the direction our country is going in. Education is serious, many other countries are way ahead of us and we are falling behind. We have rising educational costs with colleges, which require effective solutions to ensure that we have educated adults entering the work force, without the funds available many will not get the education and the country will suffer. We are either part of the problem or part of the solution.