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 Беларусь, Екатерина

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Беларусь, Екатерина Гобрусенок. Почему люди не голосуют? Это очень важный вопрос! После выборов в Беларуси я увидел, что такое настоящее единство: люди, которые никогда раньше не видели друг друга, сплотились благодаря одной общей цели. Смотреть на него без слез было невозможно, и я сам принимал участие во всех возможных мирных демонстрациях. Люди устали жить под гербом власти, устали жить в стране, где у них нет права голоса. Вот почему многие не голосуют. Они просто не верят, что могут что-то изменить. Люди не понимают и не могут себе представить, каково это-управлять собственным будущим? Что касается молодого поколения, то у нас пока нет права голоса, но мы уже умеем отличать добро от зла, и поэтому у нас есть свое мнение о выборах и об общей политической ситуации.

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Adele C., Italy, Ferrara Roiti High School

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Adele C., Italy, Ferrara Roiti High School

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The reasons why people don’t vote when they would be able to may differ between older and younger generations. In fact, the younger generation tend to participate less in politics because they aren’t well educated about all the topics and politicians that run for their country, while the people that are between 25 and 55 years old tend to not vote because they don’t believe that they can change something in their country. Also, the majority of the adults that don’t vote doesn’t pay attention to what happens in their country as a whole because they always blame the government for everything that doesn’t work in their favor, while maybe they are more interested in what happens in their city or in their region because those decisions might affect their home and their family strictly. The generation of our grandparents, however, knows the struggles that they’ve been through to obtain the right to vote and so they are the ones that tend to vote more between adults, even if they don’t listen to other parties opinions and always stay near the party that, through all their lives, has been affecting their country more. In my opinion, what would make all the people that are able to vote to actually participate actively in politics and elections is awareness of the effects that even a single vote has. Many people feel as if they’re nothing compared to all the population of their country, when it’s quite the opposite.

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Asia P, Italy, Ferrara Roiti High School

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Asia P, Italy, Ferrara Roiti High School

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Abstentionism in my country, Italy, is a trend that has been increasing more and more especially in the past few years. There are some answers for this phenomenon, and that’s mainly because Italian citizens have a really great distrust of institutions and parties.

This lack of trust has been originated since the Tangentopoli’s scandal (where a lot of politicians were found corrupted) and the start of the second republic.

Furthermore, I think that there are three other causes that explain it. The first is that the majority of people tend to only participate in very important and relevant elections, otherwise they think that those will not cause any changes in their lives; the second reason is that some people retain themselves not enough educated and so not able to make the right choice; while the third is caused by the total indifference of people.

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I think the reason why so many people don't vote is because they are ignorant and honestly don't care about politics. I think this is really sad because it means that those people don't care about their own lives.

In Japan, the age when you can start voting was lowered to 18 from 20 recently,  and though this enables younger people to be heard what they want for the country, which I personally think is awesome, those young people often skip going.

I think these things happen because politics feels really big and difficult. I'm 17, so I can't vote yet, but we did a mock-election in school a couple of years ago, and one thing that made me feel more connected to it was when my friend explained each person and houses to us so that we could understand better. Making elections more interesting and not making it seem so formal might increase the number of people voting.

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Why doesn't everyone vote?

There is an increasingly and dangerous disillusion with democracy. People do not want to get involved because they are under the impression that democracy does not respond to their interests anymore. Thus, regardless of their degree of involvement, nothing will change. The danger is that people could turn to authoritarianism, nationalism, and other extreme forms of government as a way to have it their way.

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I think the main reason for people not voting is the belief that one vote does not make a significant difference. Lack of encouragement of political leaders and influencers in many countries also contributes to this.

People need to understand how important it is to go out and vote. "Little drops of water make the mighty ocean." If everyone thinks that them voting would have no difference to the overall outcome, then democracy is useless!

No one should fear putting their voice out there, and supporting whatever they believe in. Conversations about politics should be encouraged because, in the end, democracy is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people!

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I think the reason a lot of people don't vote is because they believe there vote is insignificant. Living in a state that is predominantly democratic, I see older friends who say, "what's the point of going out of my way to vote" since Massachusetts is usually blue. I feel like the only way to counter this is by living in a battle ground state, it seems that every non-battleground state has a trend to be the same result as the last election. In comparison key battleground states (for example texas/florida) are always a battle between red and blue. Making election day a national holiday could also increase voter numbers. I feel like politics would have to be educated more towards the students for them to want to be engaged in politics later in life.

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There are many reasons why some don't vote, some feel that their vote will not make a difference, others do not support the views of either candidate, and still others are privileged enough not to care about who wins because they know that the outcome won’t affect them. I believe that this shows a lot of selfishness and/or ignorance.

I understand that not everyone is available to go to the ballots on voting day because it is a Tuesday and many people still have work, however I feel that this is not a valid excuse for this year’s election because of the option to complete a mail in ballot.

Some people feel that their vote doesn’t really count or won’t make a difference, but this year’s election has clearly shown that every vote counts. During this year’s election, I woke up one morning and there was a difference of just 900 votes in Georgia, one of the most important swing states in this year’s election.

Others decide not to vote because they don’t like “either candidate.” It is really sad that almost every year people act like there are only two candidates, a democrat and a republican, and this is awful because if people actually listened to what the other candidates from other parties had to say there would be more votes for that candidate. The idea of a two party system is very flawed and basically presents an ultimatum for the voting population.

Some people do not vote because they know that no matter which candidate is selected, their life will not change. To be able to say this and not be involved in politics in general shows disgusting amounts of privilege, ignorance, and selfishness. Even if you know that you won’t be affected, you should still vote for the candidate that you believe will most benefit the general public. People are way more likely to vote and engage in politics in general if they know that it affects them, which is really sad.

In many countries, voting is mandatory, or compulsory, as it is called, and I think that this would benefit the USA, because it would reinforce our democracy, and make more people become engaged in government and policy.

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Personally. From what I read ; I concluded that the problem is not from just people ; but  it  is common between society and the relevant authorities in politics.

-firstly; when you ask citizens about something Related to politics or law You notice that they are ignorant of many things that should be known for any native. For that  ; I think  they need to carrying out awareness campaigns through the media( for example); which they explain how any governing council works and what its goal .

-secondly; the candidate for elections has to speak with the mother language of that community. not using a Incomprehensible language  . Also  he has to be close for the citizens ; not being radical.  And all of that helps people trust  in this person and go to vote.

-thirdly;  if they made the day of polling: Holiday or national day; people will consider the voting like  important thing to do.

-Finally: the responsible is the citizen and the community who can change the judgment ;because just giving a blank paper  shows that the people are not satisfied with the candidates.

But the important thing is the credibility for anything  said

“Be confident enough to encourage confidence in others”

The end

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There are a number of reasons people don’t vote. Some main reasons could be that some people are not allowed to vote due to different circumstances, or people feel as though the candidates running do not reflect their views, or people feel as though their vote doesn’t really count or matter in the end.

To start, many people are unable to vote. In the US specifically, former and current prisoners convicted of felonies are disenfranchised during elections in many states. This not only affects people’s right to vote, but it also dispropoinately affects targeted groups. Some of these groups are African Americans and people of low income. Another way people are unable to vote is the lack of access. Unlike most of the world where elections are held on a Sunday, the US election day is held on a Tuesday. This means that people either have to take a day off from work to go vote or wait in lines when they get home. Although voting and election days are crucial to the AMerican democracy, this Tuesday is not a federal holiday, leaving people unable to vote since they are unable to take time off of work.

One big thing this election was that although the US has seen the highest voter turnout in years, many people still did not vote because of the candidates. I’ve heard from many people that did not like either candidate which led to not voting. Although there were more than two presidential candidates on the ballot, this year’s election felt like it was Trump or Biden. When neither candidate reflects people’s, to some it seems easier to not vote than place a vote for someone they don’t support. People also don’t vote because they feel their votes don’t count. People may think that there is only ONE vote so not voting will not be detrimental to the election. Also in the US, we know that some states usually go “red” or “blue”, so when people have the opposing view, they feel like their vote won’t count since the opposing side will overtake their vote.

After reading the padlet, I saw that Derrick for Australia mentioned that in Australia if one does not vote they will be charged with a fine. I feel like more people should vote so if this was implemented where people have the choice to vote, obviously people would feel more inclined to vote. This brings up the question about why people care more about fines and money than who the leaders of their country/state will be?

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There are three reasons why people should vote.
Firstly , people vote based on their personal beliefs and their conviction , in order to vote , their conviction must match the convictions of the person for whom they are voting .
In fact , joe biden won the election because he advocated non-racism
Secondly , one of the causes that prevent people from voting That they feel their vote is ineffective .
Also ,many members of society don't aware of the importance of voting so , The government should dedicate the value of voting in the educational programs.
Thirdly , we can make people able to vote by issuing a law that compulsory like Australia .
To Sum up , Voting is one of the most important human rights as it plays an important role in our community .

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People do not vote for many reasons. There are some people who are not affected by the current political climate and so they feel that they can sit the election out. The current two party system also makes it so that many voters dislike both of the candidates and so some voters decide that they are not going to cast their vote for someone whom they do not fully support. Both of these instances come from a place of privilege for the most part. There are also other reasons why people do not vote, such as not knowing how to register, not understanding the process for mail in ballots, and not being able to take the time to wait in long lines.

To get more people to vote and participate in elections I think that we should have a national holiday on election day. I also think early voting and absentee ballots should be a more open and widespread option for everyone every year like it was this year so that no matter your circumstance, you have the chance to vote, even if you cannot in person for whatever reason.

To get people to actively engage in politics and run for office we have to have more in depth civic education and we also need to make sure that people feel represented and seen within their community and by community officials.

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I am incredibly proud yet disappointed that this recent election prompted the highest voter turnout since 1900. I am proud because there is a growing amount of civic engagement, but I am ultimately disappointed that 33.1% of the eligible population decided not to vote. There are tons of reasons why people don't vote, but I'll name only a few.

1. Even though we all know that voting is important, a lot of people do not have the time to do it. We still all have work and school. I know some people who went to vote in-between class periods. I know people, like my parents, who woke up incredibly early to go vote in order to get to work on time. Not only that, but lines at the polls can be incredibly long. People just don't have the time when their jobs are on the line. Perhaps we should make Election Day a no work/school day.

2. People are shrouded in their own privilege. They don't feel obligated to vote because no matter who goes into office, their lives will not change *that much*. Thus, they do not vote out of selfishness. If someone is not personally affected by change, they are less inclined to take action.

3. People believe that their votes do not matter. This argument, in my opinion, can sometimes be understandable. Votes in swing states matter incredibly much, but no so much in other states. Some states like MA and CA have reigned blue for a long time, and there is little chance of that changing anytime soon. Because the Electoral College mostly determines the winner based on the popular vote, many people opt out if their state is not a swing state. Nonetheless, it is still important to exercise one's voting rights.

I think more people would definitely vote if there was some sort of fine for it. Everyone understands that voting actively works toward an "I Voted" sticker and the political future, but that isn't a compelling reason for many people. Perhaps we should adopt compulsory voting, like Derrick from Australia mentioned.

Lastly, people simply need to be better-educated in politics in order for them to want to participate in them. If people truly knew the magnitude of a state legislator's job, for example, perhaps they would become more interested in pursuing that type of path. But we don't really talk about that type of stuff in a regular history class. We don't break down the nuances of political positions, policies, and candidates. This type of oblivion/ignorance is another reason why people do not vote in general. If we focused more on fostering civic education, there would definitely be a growth in participation.

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Arpita S, India, West Bengal

Most of the eligible voters are not willing to vote due to the following reasons in India:
* People think that their vote has very less value and it doesn't matter whether they vote or not.
* Lack of information about election dates, candidates, and polling place.
* Poverty and deprivation prevent people from stepping out of their homes to exercise their most fundamental right to vote.
* Most of the people don't want to stand in long queues.

I think educating voters about politics, elections would be beneficial. Political leaders need to assure that voters will be benefitted by voting, this will help to create willingness to vote among people. The way to engage people more in politics is to listen their voices and try to fulfill them. Government need to make voters realize that each of their vote is important.

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People don't vote for various reasons. I think people don't vote because they think their vote isn't important and that nothing will change. People can be afraid to leave their homes because they don't want to get infected with the virus. People can have a hard time choosing who they want to vote for. Maybe some people couldn't vote? While people have the virus, they cannot vote because they are sick and tired. There are probably more reasons why people didn't vote but I dont't what they might be.

Candidates should have an election program that directly benefits voters. Elective promises should concern important problems of ordinary people. The voters would then vote more willingly because they would see the real benefits of choosing a given candidate. Some people would become actively involved in politics if they were sure that their actions bring visible results. To encourage them, they should take their ideas seriously and listen to their problems and how they would solve them. I think that a small part of society would like to play a role in politics because they need to have the right predispositions to do.

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This year we had the most voter turn out which is amazing because voting is very important. Voting allows your voice to be heard. The 33.1% of people that did not vote may not have cared about the election because they believed outcome would not affect them. People also could have thought that their vote won't make a difference because they say "one vote won't make a difference" but if 1,000 people think that, than there goes 1,000 important votes that can determine the outcome of an election. People also may not have voted because they did not like either candidate. Lots of people seemed to think that way this for this election.

One way we could more people to vote is by educating more people about the impact of voting and the power of your voice/vote. I also think we should allow a day off/times for people to vote because people could be working long days and than have to wait in long lines, and this may decrease their desire to vote and they would instead just leave. Also, I think that people would vote if a candidate  would be directly affecting them or benefiting them.

If someone cared deeply about their community and creating change than that would motivate them to run for office or get involved in politics. Getting involved in politics can be a very hard thing since it is very competitive and difficult to win an election since it is expensive so it would require someone with dedication.

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There are many reasons why people don’t vote. If it is not mandatory, people feel less motivated to vote if they don’t keep up with politics. Many people don’t vote because of their privilege which allows them to not be affected by election results and that they just don’t care. Other reasons people don’t vote are lack of time, lack of accessibility, and lack of knowledge about how to register or about the candidates/ politics in general. These are some factors that make voting too much of a hassle for people.

I think that in order to get people to care enough to vote and/or participate in elections is if the candidates present a plan and agenda that align with people’s ideology. If the result would affect people, then they would be more likely to vote. Another factor that would motivate more people to vote is if the voting process is more widely talked about and less complex. Because of lack of information about how to vote and about politics, people find themselves distanced from the voting process and choose not to bother themselves. Voter suppression is a major problem. Long lines, strict registration laws, and voter intimidation make voting too much of a hassle for people.

In order to get someone to run for office and engage actively in politics is if the current state of their society and government are not pleasing to said person. Change in the direction that the person wants their society to succeed is an incentive for them to take active participation in politics. Also, if access to information about politics is much more accessible and more widely taught, people will find the voting process and active participation in politics easier to access and therefore will participate.

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Living in a country where voting is a right seems like a great motivator to go out and vote. However, I think those who do not vote are people who are not politically active or just want to stay out of it overall. It can mean they are privileged because whatever outcome of an election will not affect them at all. It can also mean that they think their vote does not matter because in the U.S, the popular vote does not even count. For our essential workers, it can just mean that they are busy working or not aware of an election (or received enough info on how to do so).

I think dedicating a day for people to vote where they can get a day off, go during breaks, and giving people the time to vote is really important to accommodate for everyone. Voter education for all communities can encourage people to vote. Most importantly, new policies and ways to voice their opinions to their reps are very significant for people to care about what is going on around them. People do not just blindly vote for someone random, but they have an intention of who they want for these reasons.

Benefits in office might be appealing because in the end, this is a job and they still need to provide for themselves and their families. A lot of times, you see wealthy white men in office, but bringing in a diverse group of people where interpreters are available can make the slightest difference to increase comfortability. Early education on politics can influence a child's dream job.

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The election was held last Sunday. I heard that most of the people voted. There are some facts why people don't vote. The first one is that they wanna stay away from politics and some think that they don't need to vote cuz many people will vote and so the Result  won't change by them.The second is that they think the election is not fair cuz anyone who is older than 60 can vote before  the election starts. So they are concerned  that  their votes will be changed by someone. They don't know what the candidates have declared if they won the election.
To get them to care, the first thing we need to do is to educate them like why we should vote.We also  need to make campaign of civic education in every region to make them know the importance of voting, what we'll get back if we vote the right government and voting is only the power for the future of our generations and the country.
There is any reason to go to the office particularly.To participate actively in election, we need to broadcast on air to know the people that the country's future is on our shoulders and we all should participate in every political case and election.

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People tends to dislike and ignore politics for various reasons, such as losing faith On the transparency of the election system due to corruption. Also it can be a result of devaluing the importance and the change we could create by participating in the governance of our nation. But in contrast elections are very important since every party has a series of policies that could radically affect our lives. So taking part in the governance means that we help our nation develop and secure a better future.

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The last elections that occured in Lebanon was 4 years ago and 60% of the people didnt vote. Many reasons led us to this situation which i will mention here.
First of all,Its your right whether to vote or not.
Second, People dont trust our corrupted 30 years old government .moreover, various countries have agendas are linked to our government. And finally, there are certain powerful parties who lead the biggest part of the government

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Derrick M, Australia, Victoria, Melbourne

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Derrick M, Australia, Victoria, Melbourne

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As an Australian, it is hard for me to relate as we have compulsory voting here, in that people must vote every election or get fined. I think that this

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I believe everyone doesn’t vote for a few main reasons. One being that they have the privilege to not care enough about politics. They don’t see the importance of remaining active and educated on present-day elections and other events. As a result, they don’t bother to vote because they believe their one vote won’t matter. Also, people might not vote because they are unwilling to undergo the process of registration by themselves as it’s too much work for them.

One way to increase participation in elections would be making voting more convenient and also implementing some form of civic education. There could be in-person early voting to increase turnout to avoid the inconveniences that many people use as an excuse not to vote. In addition, having some form of civic education would better educate people about the importance of their vote and the impact that it has in the world they live in. If they realized the power of their vote, they would be more inclined to do so.

I’m not sure how we would get others to run for office and engage actively in politics since it is difficult enough trying to get everyone to vote. Since it is such an extensive process, it would take a person who is extremely interested and passionate about politics, one who wants their voice to be heard. Not a lot of people are like that as they like to standby and just watch events unfold. Therefore, it would take someone who is not only passionate about politics but has the wealth and means to do so in order to run for office.

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There are many reasons why people choose not to vote. Some people just do not like the candidates, so they would not vote at all since they probably would not vote the top candidates. Others might not have registered in time or do not know how to register. Another reason is because polling places are not accessible and they do not feel like voting by mail is secure enough.

One way that would get people to care more is to educate them. Most people do not understand the voting process, what is needed for their votes to count, and what the candidates stand for. If people are more educated in state laws about voting and the timeline for an election- deadline for registration, deadline for mail-in ballots, times for early voting, and the times polling places are open on election day- more people would be able to vote. To address the fact that many people do not vote due to them not liking any candidates, educating them on the policies of the candidates might allow them to see that there are certain policies of one that they agree with. There would be a greater chance of them voting if they understand where each candidate stand.

Getting most people to run for office and to actively engage in politics would be hard. Most people feel like voting is enough to get their voices heard, mainly through the candidates that they agree with. If there are information on more ways to actively engage in politics, more people would be more likely to participate. If there are more support for people running for office, it might encourage more people to run for office too. Most times, people do not have the resources to run for office.

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Many people don’t vote for different reasons. Some people prefer to stay out of politics. They don’t try to keep themselves educated or involved in  current events, elections, policies, and so much more. Other people might not vote because they do not like the candidates. Voting can also be a bit of a hassle, which some people might just rather avoid. There are also people who are not directly significantly affected by the results of the election that also are not concerned with how the results of the election could affect others.

Educating voters on the voting process and teaching them how to vote would get more people to participate. It would also be beneficial to educate people on the different things that the candidates stand for and what would happen if they were elected. People would also participate in elections if the results would have a large effect on their day to day lives or if they cared enough to participate in elections that they know would greatly affect others.

Active engagement/participation in politics is hard to get people to do. People generally avoid talking about politics because most topics can be controversial. I think that if people were better educated on how much politics affects most things in life and how important the issues are, they would be more likely to engage in order to support the ideas they agree with and the people that can take the necessary steps and move in the right direction.

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Christopher N, USA, Boston, Massachusetts

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Christopher N, USA, Boston, Massachusetts

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I think a large percentage of people don't vote due to factors such as: they don't like either candidate, the results have no effect on their life, ways to vote are not accessible, or they just don't care enough.

The biggest factor that can get them to vote is anything that would help them. If the candidate is endorsing an idea that will be a benefit to the nonvoter, they will be incentivized to vote. Someone who lives next to fossil fuel factories may want the candidate to move towards a more recyclable energy plan. Someone who feels like they are getting taxed too high might now want to vote for the candidate who lowers taxes.

It takes a lot of dedication for someone to want to run for president even if you're a voter. However, someone may begin to be more politically engaged if multiple terms of a higher official like the president, resulted in no change or negative change for that person. They feel as if no one is doing anything to benefit them or their country and now want to find someone who will.

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There are many reasons as to why not everyone votes. Some people don't have time to go to a poll, others don't know how to register, and some people just don't want to get involved with politics.

I think the major problem that prevents everyone from voting is voter suppression. Although voter suppression comes in many different form it is seen all across the country. Long lines and limited polling places can prevent people in certain areas from voting. Strict ID laws, police presence at polls, and voter intimidation can scare people away who are trying to exercise their right to vote.

A way to get more voters involved would be to improve education on voters rights and how to vote. Although the information can be readily available through the internet, it can be confusing trying to understand the process of voting and how to register. The more people educated on how to vote, the more people vote during elections. Getting people to engage actively in politics can be difficult, as oftentimes politics are viewed as a sensitive subject that people want to avoid. The way to engage people in politics is to make their voice matter, if people can see their political engagement and awareness making a difference they are going to want to stay involved in politics. While this can be hard to do at a national level, on a smaller local level a persons actions can make a difference in their own communities.

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The United States now finds itself a week after an anxiety-producing, polarizing election. Approximately 239 million people in the USA were eligible to vote but approximately 160million people (from what we know right now) actually voted. That’s 66.9% of the voters in the country. That’s the highest percentage of voter turnout since the year 1900.What happened to the other 33.1%?Our focus is not simply the United States. Myanmar had an election this week too! But the question is: Why doesn’t everyone vote? What would get them to care enough to vote and/or participate in elections? And what would get them to run for office and engage actively in politics?