Voting is a representation of the democratic rights of the citizens through expressing their right to choose the leaders of their choice. In the United States of America, research shows that close to 40 percent of the total registered voters do take place in the voting exercise of the presidential candidates (Campbell 32). This value is known to increase as the midterm congressional elections are formed. I believe that voting should be made mandatory in the United States of America (Campbell 32). This is a clear strategy, which will ensure that the Americans ignoring their democratic right of voting do engage themselves in the exercise without failure. When we put in place measures such as fines and prosecution for those who do not vote, the democratic right will be implemented by the citizens. In this essay, we shall discuss and consider the various measures and strategies, which can implement the strategy of ensuring voters turnout, remains high and efficient. I believe that the voting exercise should be made mandatory to the citizens.
Voting is a process whereby the citizens of a certain democratic nation express their rights by selecting leaders through the ballot box to office and leadership. In many states globally, the process is not compulsory, and many voters do the exercise on their peril (William 1). This lack of control on the voters has erupted to a low voter turnout during voting days due to the low sense of control by the governments on the citizens engagement in the exercise(DiClerico 23). Thus, debates have been put on whether voting should be made mandatory under the law to increase the voter turnout as well as put measure to punish those who do not express their voting rights. In America, the voters have independence in voting, and one does not necessary have to vote, but do so on their will (DiClerico 25).
Mandatory voting will promote more attention from the citizens on the leaders and their credibility (Campbell 43). When the citizens understand that they have a mandatory role of voting, they will start taking interest on the leaders as well as how good they can be in their offices. This will improve the leader's motives as well as credibility so as to win the citizens interests. Creating a mandate on the voters will increase the demand on their side which means that more citizens will be motivated towards understanding what they are voting on. The greater the numbers of the voters, the more the leaders will try to ensure they achieve what they promise in their manifestos (Fechner 2).
Another reason why voting should be made mandatory is that the leaders will be forced to diverse to the extremes. When the leaders identify that there are more parties to vote, they will tend to go to where the votes are concentrated. The marginalized parties such as the poor, young and unemployed and the less educated will be able to meet the leaders and present their lamentations leading to the growth of the people as a whole (DiClerico 33). The marginalized groups are among those who do not vote as they believe that voting does not bring bread to their table or cause developments in their areas. The hardcore partisans are the ones well presented in the voting exercise, and only them benefit when the leaders are voted in (Fechner 6).
On a third case, making voting mandatory is also a perfect way to keep track of records such as census and mortality rate (William 1). By making voting compulsory, all the populace will attend the exercise providing a more accurate estimate of the population as well as factors such as death rate and mortality rate. This process will reduce government spending on such activities as census and redirect the money to growing the society (DiClerico 36). Therefore, it is a considerably better move in engaging the society in an exercise for the benefits of the taxpayer as well as the government for records and determination of funds devolution (Campbell 44).
In addition, I believe that voting exercise will result in removal of leader's fixation by the extremes. In the current American society, a situation of "the majority" works for the elected leaders. This is vividly seen in the present campaigns where the leaders focus on the states known to produce large amount of votes contrary to those, which do not. Literary, these states are more developed, and the non-voters keep lavishing in poverty and neglect (Gans et al. 5). Making voting compulsory will mean that these leaders will have to go an extra mile and go for the votes in the neglected regions. In essence, these regions can be able to stand with a leader from their area who upholds their interests to his/her heart and push it for him/her to represent them(Fechner12). This will depict and uphold the democracy rights as well as the credibility of the voting system.
There numerous critics against making the voting exercise a compulsory strategy in America (William 1). Many activists believe that compulsory voting will represent a lack of faith in democracy itself, which is true to the word. The process of mandatory voting will lead to a condition where there will be rising numbers of uninformed voters which literary leads to poor policy making for the elected parties and leaders (Gans et al. 8). Compared to the current situation of the policymaking, the strategies may become updating when uniformed voters are included in the exercise. The activists believe that mandatory voting will cause antidemocratic circles which depict that in a case one does not vote, he/she becomes stupid which literary may not be the case(DiClerico 48).
The lawmakers also depict various strategies against the exercise. The 13thamendment of the constitution in the US states that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude should not by any point in writing or orally be depicted in the United States (Gans et al. 12). Thus, the question set forward here is, is mandatory voting an involuntary servitude? Due to this factor, the lawmakers believe that it is not to expose the citizens to a situation where they feel forced to do something contrary to their wish (Fechner 17).
In conclusion, making voting a mandatory exercise is a great step towards making the United States a better place. Voting will ensure that good and credible voters are voted in office. It will also ensure that the electorate devolves their concentration to the low-income families and the youth as well and not on the enlightened society only. Mandatory voting will also help in determining numbers in a population due to acts such as census which will cut the cost of undertaking such processes. It will also reduce the leader's fixation by the enlightened society members for personal and regional benefits but ensure equity in consideration by the leaders. Various critics have also emerged such as the involuntary servitude of the process and the uninformed number of voters who will be forced to engage in the exercise destroying policy making.
Works Cited
Fechner, Morgan E. Voting in America: 2. Westport, Conn. [u.a.: Praeger, 2008. Print.
DiClerico, Robert E. Voting in America: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2004. Internet resource.
Gans, Curtis, and Matthew Mulling. Voter Turnout in the United States, 1788-2009. Washington, D.C: CQ Press, 2011. Print.
Campbell, Angus. The American Voter. New York: Wiley, 2010. Print.
William.A.Gaston. “Should Voting in the U.S. Be Mandatory? “New York Times. 7 November 2011:1
