Be the change

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 voter_apathy

Voter apathy was unfortunately alive and well at the last election, It is essential that we do not once again allow the non voters to decide this year’s election.  For the left to have a good chance of winning this  time around the 800,000 non voters at the last election need to be motivated to vote this time.  For this country to have a fair representation of what we really want, all of us, not just some of us, need to vote.  It is one hour, one day, every three years.  It is the one time when the shop worker or the stop/go man has the exact same power as a large company CEO, it is the time when you having your say really does count.

Why is there so much apathy in this country?  Is it that our workers are just exhausted after slogging away all week and have no time or energy for politics, or that our 18 to 24 year olds are not taught in schools about the value and history of their vote or how MMP actually works, so they have little or no knowledge of how to use it.  Could it be that the Government repeatedly ignoring referendum and choosing to not listen to it’s citizens increases the perception of there being little or no point in voting as nothing will change?

The truth is that National voters will ALWAYS vote, they always do, they are motivated to protect what they have from a perceived threat from the left that their lifestyle will be lost,  when in fact middle and lower income earners whether left or right leaning are equally enslaved to the wealthy corporates and bankers.  The apathy mainly comes from the left I believe,  If we can motivate and encourage even half of the 800,000 to vote this time, then the left will have a damn good chance of winning.  Talk to your neighbours talk to your workmates, encourage them to vote, educate them, if we want change then we have to be the change.  We the people have the power, do not be fooled into thinking we don’t.

People throughout history fought and died for your right to vote, and still to this day people fight and die to have this right, so to choose not to vote is at the very least disrespectful to their memory.  So grab your family and friends, make a day of it do your bit for your country and VOTE.  It is one hour of your time, use it wisely and make a difference.  We may not have the perfect system but it is the only one we have right now, so pick your party and make sure you vote.

 

 

5 COMMENTS

  1. Very well put, I’ve lost count the number of times I’ve had the very same conversation, but it can’t be said enough.

  2. I agree with the sentiments of your article.
    However I’d be a lot more bold and probably rude about it.
    The non voting (young? and poorer?) people are basically saying, WE LIKE having a Government that will go out of it’s way to make our life miserable, hopeless and horrible.
    These voters get told often enough that their ‘No Vote’ puts a right wing Government into power.

    So knowing this, one can only assume they are happy to be abused and kept poor and helpless, by their no vote.

    They say the people get the Government they deserve, and that would seem so.

    So when you see the poor, disadvantaged, unemployed etc etc, ask them……..did you vote? If they say no, then tell them, it’s because if you didn’t vote, that inactivity is a minor (yet highly significant) reason for your present woes.

    Rather than not vote, I’d even be happier with ‘the non voters’ ruining their ballot paper, so that they vote for no one, as it would show the Government, that they voted for ‘non of the above’ but weren’t offered a party that they felt they could vote for.

    Non voters don’t forget, you are they are major (though NOT the only) reason why we have an extreme right wing Government intent on making you poor and helpless, take away your personal liberties, and all so some extremely wealthy people can get even wealthier……..because YOU clearly don’t mind…………p.s. the thank you card is in the post from the $10,000 a night hotel room they’re living in, thanks (in part) to your sacrifice !!!!

    • They don’t even have to vote for either National or Labour. If they believe that neither of the two major parties will help them (which is understandable since both parties have been fairly bad over the past 30 years) there’s nothing stopping them from voting for the Greens or Mana.

      Heck, they could even vote for a party which is unlikely to get into parliament if they believe that party would serve them. It would still have a greater effect than not voting at al…

  3. That is an amazing and well written article and says it like it is…well done and yes get at least 3 people to the polls who never voted last election and we will have a landslide victory and take our country back from these fascists!

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