Reading an article this morning on NBC News written by Alexander Smith of NBC News, titled "This year will see more elections than ever. But don’t call it a win for democracy."
An amazing and enlightening article describing that democracy has been in decline worldwide since 2016. According to the watchdogs, only 43 of the 76 elections, some already held fairly like Taiwan and Finland, and others to be held this year across the globe including India and the United States, will be free and fair. “Democracy is suffering from a virus; it is not well at present,” as per Charles Parton, a British diplomat with many international postings. There are many convincing reasons to think that the net outcome of the 2024 globally held elections is going to be fewer democratic practices and, as a result, weaker democratic institutions all over the world.
The United States, as a country, claims to be one of the strongest advocates of democracy worldwide. However, democracy seems to be backsliding at a very fast pace, and the core principles of democracy, such as fair elections, checks and balances to control executive power overreach, and rising above politics to do what is best for the country and society, all these principles appear to be compromised one way or the other. Political and toxic polarization of society as a whole, lobbying of politicians and elected officials by special interest groups directed by their financial greed and power hunger, are some of the very obvious signs of eroding democracy in the United States.
But the core issue at the base of this problem is the participation of eligible voters in these elections. It is a common theme we always hear that voter turnout is marginal, around 50%. Voter turnout is poor if it is below 50% and very good if it edges towards 60%. To me, that is the problem. You can blame the political parties or political leaders, or even the social and print, radio, television media for taking sides. What about you as a voter? Where is your responsibility? Why not everyone vote? As the saying goes, it is easier to point a finger at others, but remember, when you are pointing one finger at others, there are at least three fingers pointing towards you. So, to begin, the voter is the problem. Voting is an individual right, and every voter has a responsibility to use this right during any given elections. Democracy will be as strong as the will of the voters and the will of society to exercise their right to vote. Let’s strengthen democracy for the sake of better and fair societies by participating in every voting opportunity.