Education - That's our basis in voting

Is an uninformed vote better than not voting at all?

           

 In evaluating this situation, it  must be understood that both decisions with result in negative effects within society. The criteria then shifts to: Which will have the greatest negative impact on society? 
            The rise of uninformed votes is due to the lack of public funding for education. Citizens will base their opinion not on their situation, what is convienent to their lifestyle, or what represents their beliefs, but rather, culture will manifest itself greatly and alter the mindset of the voter. In regards to Latin America, voters tend to be affiliated with Roman Catholicism, and they tend to favor platforms that represent their Christian ideals. Nevertheless, issues such as the death penalty, abortion, and marriage rights are not the only issues that define each platform, yet society tends to have a sole focus on social issues because that is what they can develop a personal connection with.

            

Although an uninformed vote may seem as if it has positive aspects such as the influence of one’s culture, our backgrounds can actually be deterrents for progress and change. Society has witnessed the suppression of many individuals due to culture and how it limits individuals in expressing key issues that influence their daily live. If one were to make an uninformed vote based on their cultural values, one maintains the status quo of society. In Latin American, making society as it is generally tends to promote the suppression that has remained within society and acting passively (despite the attempt in voting).

            

Corruption in voting in Latin America is not only affected through bribery of poll counters, but as well as going into rural areas and convincing an uneducated population about concepts that they have no solid foundation in. People lack a proper understanding of the effects of bringing someone into office can have on the overall state of the country. Before Honduras’s coup de etat, President Zelaya was trying to encourage rural communities to allow him to amend the constitution in order for him to have unlimited presidential terms. Honestly, people have no idea what has happened previously in dictatorships, what provoked them, and how to confront them. Their lack of an education eventually led to a widespread support of rural society supporting Zelaya. In this case, an uninformed vote can lead to the destruction of the government structure and alternate a political system.  

 By not voting at all, the individual remains silent. One may question whether their silence is an attribute to the lack of suppression and agreement with how society is. Others can argue that a lack of voting represents resentment to the voting system in the area and by not voting, the individual is expressing their discontent with the system. Nevertheless, I believe that by not voting, the individual understands the problems that may arise out of not voting, and have has been able to weigh out the consequences.

 In all, we must be pushing for the spread of education to those who do not have easy access and by providing them with this resource, society can shift more towards liberalism and represent its people. I arise to the conclusion that the negative effects of a misinformed weighs more than not voting at all.