Vote to secure your destiny
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) announced this week it will start conducting supplementary registration for voters in July, ahead of the presidential and National Assembly elections later this year.
Voter education is crucial for any election and more so in a representative democracy where the citizenry elect public officials. A lack of voter education may lead to a substantial number of invalid votes in an election, hence the need by the ECN to conduct a more effective campaign this time around. An effective voter education campaign is necessary, especially to sensitise young and first-time voters who may be apathetic, and to ensure that the polls are democratic and successful. More than 60% of those likely to vote in the general elections are young Namibians and it is only fair that they are made to understand the significance of voting and what it means for our democracy. Apart from printed materials in the mainstream media, the ECN has to do more and engage student movements and community groupings, among others, to promote a non-partisan voter education campaign. Bar the presidential and parliamentary elections of 2014, there have significant signs that the enthusiasm to vote in local and regional authority elections has been waning in the country, as demonstrated during the Windhoek West by-election in 2014 in which only 3 398 out of the 27 000 registered voters cast their ballots. In 2015, during the regional authority elections, only 36% of the 1 267 335 registered voters - excluding the 215 964 voters from 26 uncontested constituencies - showed an interest in exercising their democratic right to cast their ballots for councillors in their respective constituencies. While it is true that many young people are disengaged and disillusioned with politics, owing to dismal campaigns and failure of politicians to inspire the electorate, there is no doubt they can gain greater control over their future through exercising their democratic right to vote. We urge all eligible Namibians to register to vote, in order to secure their destiny.
Voter education is crucial for any election and more so in a representative democracy where the citizenry elect public officials. A lack of voter education may lead to a substantial number of invalid votes in an election, hence the need by the ECN to conduct a more effective campaign this time around. An effective voter education campaign is necessary, especially to sensitise young and first-time voters who may be apathetic, and to ensure that the polls are democratic and successful. More than 60% of those likely to vote in the general elections are young Namibians and it is only fair that they are made to understand the significance of voting and what it means for our democracy. Apart from printed materials in the mainstream media, the ECN has to do more and engage student movements and community groupings, among others, to promote a non-partisan voter education campaign. Bar the presidential and parliamentary elections of 2014, there have significant signs that the enthusiasm to vote in local and regional authority elections has been waning in the country, as demonstrated during the Windhoek West by-election in 2014 in which only 3 398 out of the 27 000 registered voters cast their ballots. In 2015, during the regional authority elections, only 36% of the 1 267 335 registered voters - excluding the 215 964 voters from 26 uncontested constituencies - showed an interest in exercising their democratic right to cast their ballots for councillors in their respective constituencies. While it is true that many young people are disengaged and disillusioned with politics, owing to dismal campaigns and failure of politicians to inspire the electorate, there is no doubt they can gain greater control over their future through exercising their democratic right to vote. We urge all eligible Namibians to register to vote, in order to secure their destiny.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article