Less than half of eligible voters are voting regularly
Letter to the Editor:
As we all know, the definition of democracy is a government of the people, for the people and by the people. Therefore everyone should vote because everyone has an opinion.
In America’s democracy we have the ability to choose who is in office and hold elected officials accountable for their behavior while in office.
Less than half the country is voting regularly. Should we ask ourselves: Is this really a democracy?
The whole purpose of democracy is for every person to have a say in what goes on, but when less than half the country is voting, not everyone’s voice is being heard. Because not everyone is being heard, we should be more cautious when we talk about living in a democratic country.
The First Amendment to the Constitution protects other democratic rights; voting rights do not have clear Constitutional protection.
Confusion about the meaning of “right” is a potential political barrier. Being confused if voting is a right, a privilege or a responsibility and the word itself, “right,” I decided last year to take a course in Constitutional law. And this is what I learned about this subject:
—Privilege: an immunity or benefit enjoyed only by a person beyond the advantaged of most.
—Right: That which is due to anyone by just claim, legal guarantees or moral principles.
—Responsibility: Being answerable or accountable for something within one’s power, control or management.
I see it as a privilege granted to today’s eligible voters by those who fought for it in the past either through war, grassroots movements or legislative battles. And as a right within the Constitution to uphold suffrage rights for all citizens and preventing fraud and prohibiting disenfranchisement of voters.
Exercising our voice through our vote is a fundamental right.
Lupe Williams