I completely disagree with the statement that ‘All Citizens should be required by law to vote’ and it truly rages me at the fact this is even a question that has been asked of this country. I have stated facts while also peoples opinions, as well as my own, that clearly prove the point that we ‘The People’ of a country should not be forced into voting if we do not choose to do so. I would like to point out that I am entirely grateful that this country is a democracy and we have the right to vote, but none the less I don’t feel that it is right to put pressure on the people to vote if they do not wish to.
From doing my research on this topic I first learned that only 27% of people said ‘Yes’ to this motive whereas 73% of people said ’No’. This just clearly states how unhappy people would be if this were law, almost most of the population, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what would happen when most people disagree. Of course tempers would be high yet again towards the Irish Government. Also an issue raised in my research, what about the people who don’t know anything about Voting? People who have no interest in the Government and would walk into a ballet station and pick any random name just because it sounds like their husband/cat/dog/granny or whatever, which lets not kid ourselves that is what happens. Then there are the people who genuinely care about who’s the head of our country, people who spend there time doing research and finding out the best candidate, what happens to them because guaranteed there’s more people who don’t care than people who actually give a damn.
Not to mention we are a Democracy, for any people who agree with this statement and don’t fully grasp the ‘Democracy’ part, it entails that us the people have a choice! Free Will!! Free Speech!! Our choice!! When you think about it, we’re told enough things by the government that we have to do such as Pay taxes, why should we be forced into recognition and told we have to vote. Your role in how the government is run should be a personal choice and not a legal obligation. Obliviously there are other reasons people don’t want to vote as it ‘Violates their conscience’ such as Christians but the main reason is that it is your right, one of a very small list of things you are in charge of in life. A powerful quote I found whilst researching this topic was
‘If the Government wants our say then why don’t they listen when we say no. Don’t care don’t vote. Some don’t know anything about voting so to make it easy, we save time and we don’t vote’
So to sum it all up to putting a legal obligation on us ‘The People’ to vote you’re upsetting at least 73% of the population and in reality you’re not making this country better you’re ruining it. Perhaps it’s to be said that if you don’t have any interest then you shouldn’t vote, what’s to be said for the people spending hours doing their research and homework, It’s very clear there shouldn’t be any obligation and if I haven’t persuaded you by this then I have failed miserably.
L.H
(Fifth Year)