By Leland E. Pulley
I live in the United States of America where we have free elections every two years for national, state, and local elections. Other countries have free elections too, although they may be run in a different fashion. Unfortunately, many countries still need to gain the political freedom to hold elections and give citizens the right to vote. The importance of elections can be summed up in this statement. The best form of government is a free government in which the citizens have a right to vote and therefore hold their government accountable unto them.
Gaining freedom or a democratic form of government in which people have rights, including voting by secret ballots, should be obtained. At times in history this has required rebellion and even wars. Once obtained, such rights should be sustained though vigilance and active citizen participation in the government. Holding fair and honest elections on a periodic basis is a right that needs to be appreciated and utilized. Such elections should be held at all levels of government, namely at the city, county, state, and national levels. There should be no fraud nor corruption involved in elections. They should not be influenced too much by money nor incumbency. The goal is to get the best people in public office who will do the most good for everyone concerned.
Elections depend on educated and informed voters. These voters need to understand what is going on in their city, county, state, and country. They need to be aware of the critical issues facing them and what the choices or alternative solutions are for resolving these issues and concerns. The more informed voters are, the better choices they will make when voting. This will assure that appropriate ballot issues are passed and the best people are put into office.
It is not enough to merely show up on election day and cast a ballot. As a voter you should study the issues in advance. Listen to the various candidates and their stands on various issues. Try to understand what they will or will not do if elected to office. At the state level it is important to have state senators and members of the legislature who are concerned about the districts they represent, as well as what is best for the state as a whole. Likewise, candidates running for a national office need to be concerned about what the voters in their states want, as well as what is best for the country as a whole. In both cases the person in public office must use good judgment in balancing the will of the people he represents and doing what is best for the state and national government. In other words, we elect them to both represent us and do our thinking for legislative matters.
Another major consideration in both elections and voting is avoiding too much incumbency. This means that an incumbent usually has a political advantage in an election against a newcomer who is trying to win an election against him. Too much of the time and in too many cases incumbents, especially at the national level, will stay in office for decades. This may offer some continuity and experience in national government, but it also has its drawbacks. When people gain political power, many of them tend to forget the people they represent. They think primarily of themselves and the political power and careers and perks which come along with their public office. This is only one reason why I prefer term limits at all levels of government. Such limits provide the opportunity for new people to enter the government at all levels and thus keep it refreshed with new faces and new ideas and approaches. Think about incumbency as you vote in each election.
Some people think that their vote is unimportant. After all what does one vote matter? Just think if everyone had this attitude. No one would show up at the polls. Unfortunately, too many people have this attitude. Thus, in many elections, especially midterm elections on a national or state level, less than half of the registered voters cast a ballot. If a candidate gets 51% of this half, he is essentially being elected to office by one fourth of the voters. If a lot of money is spent in any election to sway the votes of a small percentage of the voters, they can literally change the results of an election. The fewer people who vote, and the less informed they are, the easier it is to influence them and control the outcome of an election with campaigning and money put into advertising. This is not what we want. In contrast, we want the most people voting, and they should be well-informed in advance of election day. Less money should be required for campaigns so people of less financial means can run for office.
Another helpful idea for elections is limiting the time candidates can campaign. Along with this we need accurate and clear information on where they stand on issues. With the Internet and computers, it should be easy to look up the positions taken by a political party, as well as any candidate. Public debates between the candidates for specific offices are helpful too. Each of these things reduces costs and helps people to make better choices when voting.
This November is an important election year for the United States. The country is divided on many critical issues.
- Should the federal government continue to grow in size and power, or return some of its power back to the states? Government is better when it is closer to the people. Do as much locally and within each state as possible. Limit federal over reach or doing what should be done by cities and states.
- It is important to control spending at all governmental levels, and avoid inflation at the national level. Local and state governments have to balance their budgets or live within their means. But federal or national government can spend more than they receive as revenues. Deficient spending should be avoided.
- How can we provide more jobs for people and better paying jobs?
- What are we going to do about illegal immigration? Only legal immigration should be allowed.
- What is happening to marriage and family life in society and how can we strengthen both of these?
- Healthcare costs are rising and we need ways to expand healthcare without increasing the cost too much per person.
- Public security is a big issue. No defunding of the police should be allowed. A strong military is essential for peace.
- What is our true role in the world? How do we compete in the global economy?
These are just a few of the important issues that will influence these elections and ultimately be affected by them. We need candidates and elected officials with clear voices who can articulate what we should do and how to accomplish important goals for the good of all.
Some essentials should be in place to protect the outcome of our elections. Only citizens should be allowed to vote. Registration for voting should be done a month before elections. Voting rolls should be purged of individuals who have died or moved out of the area. On election day, photo ID should be required, as citizens vote in person. Absentee ballots should only be given to military and governmental personnel serving outside their home areas. Individuals in hospitals who cannot go to the polls should get ballots too. All counting of the votes should be completed the night of the election.
Remember, you as a voter are important. Cast your ballot in each election and let your voice be heard. Encourage others to do the same thing. You can also make contributions to campaigns, volunteer time to support individual candidates in various ways, or be a candidate yourself. After the election continue to stay informed of what the elected officials from your area are doing and whether they are truly representing you in the best manner possible. Let them know how you think and feel on various issues and legislation through e-mail, letters, and in some cases visits to their offices. The more citizens do this, the more influence they will have on the government and the better that government will function. Let us all do our part!
Key Words – elections, freedom, voting, citizen participation, government, educated and informed voters, incumbency, term limits, critical issues, make contributions, volunteer time
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