Why People Do Not Vote

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American voters in today’s society care about the issues of the United States and vote in hope to form a greater nation. Other United States citizens voluntarily do not participate in voting. Why people do not vote can vary from feeling intimidated by the polling process, to simply not caring about current issues. It is hard to justify citizens who do not vote by saying that it is for the better of America to have less of an opinion from the people. It is also hard to justify that we should force citizens to vote even if they are uneducated on the politics at hand. The right of a democracy is to allow citizens free access to vote and speak for the people. Democracy also holds the right that allows citizens to not vote if they feel it would be better to refrain themselves from doing so. The key is finding a balance and being able to educate the groups of Americans who do not vote. We must allow these citizens to better understand the power that they have in changing current issues, while not forcing the voting process.
Without citizens voting, voices cannot be heard, and, “We…know that the level of voter population has been declining steadily since the early 1960s” (Austin Ramney p. 91). Participation has continued to decrease over the past several decades and due to lack of voting, there is a lack of diverse opinion that could ultimately aid the country in a better direction. Of this grouping of people it has been said that five categories make up this population: chronic nonvoters (often come from families who have never voted), those who believe they have no real say in government decisions, the young, the ones who feel intimidated by the voting process, and the ones who simply do not care (Curtis B. Gans). Blatantly, the first ...

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... that nonvoting makes you less of an citizen in a democracy. Other leaders do not care if citizens vote or not, “I’m not going to shed any real or political tears if people don’t care enough to vote. I don’t believe in making it easy for apathetic, lazy people. I’d be extremely happy if nobody in the United States voted except for the people who thought about issues and made up their own minds and wanted to vote…” (Former Senator, Sam Ervin). The idea that people who do not vote in elections are lazy is not well supported. Many Americans live in communities where the education system of politics is very poor and just because one is to grow up in an environment where they have been deprived of political engagement does not mean their vote is meaningless. Voting needs to be easier to learn and access real facts for any American in any location or upbringing situation.

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