“The Role of the Voters in the Conduct of free Elections”

Elections are a central feature of democracy. For elections to express the will of the

electorate, they must be ‘free and fair’. Free means that all those entitled to vote have the right to

be registered and to vote and must be free to make their choice. An election is considered ‘free’

when you can decide whether or not to vote and vote freely for the candidate or party of your

choice without fear or intimidation. A free election is also one where you are confident that who

you vote for remains your secret. On the other hand, fair means that all registered political parties

have an equal right to contest the elections, campaign for voter support and hold meetings and

rallies. This gives them a fair chance to convince voters to vote for them. A fair election is also

one in which all voters have an equal opportunity to register, where all votes are counted, and

where the announced results reflect the actual vote totals.

Every citizen has the right to vote, and when given the opportunity it should be taken

advantage of. By voting, you are participating in being a local barangay citizen. If one has a strong

opinion on a certain subject or a person, it is important to let it be known. If you do not vote based

on your beliefs, for example in a local election, then you could have a man in charge of the

barangay whom you have a negative outlook on. Each person has a right to his or her own opinion

and it should be expressed. It is also important to vote in an election because every vote counts

and can make a large difference. Voting gives everyone the chance to express his or her views on

different topics. It is important to express yourself. If a person is given the right to vote, then it

should be taken advantage of.

People had to fight for the right to be heard. Today now that this right is available to all of

us, we don't take advantage of it. The right to vote was not just handed to every human. We had to

fight for it. Do not take for granted what our ancestors went through and fought for is unheard of.
Exercising your given right to vote is something that have not always had the right to do. We had

to prove not only that we are worthy of the right to vote but that we could afford such a right. To

vote is all the reason in the world to continue something that they fought so hard for. Everyone

deserves the right to be heard and the opportunity to voice their opinions. Therefore, we need to

stand up and be counted to make sure that our future has the same privileges whether we care or

not.

The voters played the most important role in making sure the government reflected their

desires and functioned according to the guidelines of the Constitution. It can be argued that many

people today fail to appreciate or acknowledge their role in shaping the government. People or

voters should maintain these four important responsibilities as eligible voters. First, registering to

vote, most notably, people’s most important responsibility as citizens involves registering to vote.

If they are legal citizens in a local barangay, 18 years of age or older, and have no felony

convictions on their record, people are eligible to vote in local, state, and federal elections.

Registering to vote can be done online or in person. The process of becoming a registered voter is

simple and can be taken care of in a matter of minutes. Secondly, voting in elections, once they

are registered to vote, voters should then make every effort to vote in local, state, and federal

elections. Many people dismiss this responsibility by saying that they do not care about the issues

on the ballot or that they are unfamiliar with the candidates up for election. However, by failing to

use their privilege to vote, people essentially allow other voters to make decisions for them, to let

their voices be heard over voters who make no effort go to the polls. This is one of the primary

reasons why you need to vote! The outcomes of elections can impact voters’ personal freedoms,

taxes, and other aspects of daily life that they take for granted. Because of the far reaching impact

that an election can have, people have the duty to cast their vote if they want a say in how their
futures play out. Thirdly, casting absentee votes, people who have a legitimate reason for not

making it to the polls can still cast their vote by requesting an absentee ballot. The ballot can be

mailed to them or they can cast an absentee vote in person at their local election office. Despite

not being able to vote on Election Day, they can still make sure that their voice is heard and that

they make use of their voting privilege. And lastly, updating personal information regularly,

state and federal election laws can change at a moment’s notice, so it is important for people to

keep their voting information updated as needed. If they move or want to change their party

affiliation, for example, they should update this information well before the next election takes

place. They should also stay up-to-date about the location of their polling place. The locations of

polling places change regularly. A school, church, or business that was utilized as a polling place

during the last election may not be used again for the next. Voters can find out their polling places

online or by contacting their local election office.

Voters play a central role in shaping the government and their very futures. They can satisfy

their duty as voters by observing these four important responsibilities.

"The future of this nation is in the hands of the voter."

“Voting is not only our right; it is our power.”

“Choose who is deserving and vote wisely.”