Thursday, 20 September 2018

Getting the Most From Your Vote - by Olatuja Gabriel-Wealth

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Through voting, you can choose the candidate who will work on the policies you care much about.
Voting helps to instill the policies that effect both the future direction of your country and your daily life.

Whom to Vote
Vote for candidate who has plans to solve problems affecting the people.
Vote a candidate who has plan to provide healthcare, education, infrastructure, jobs, affordable and quality food, shelter, cloth etc, good economy, security.
You have the right to campaign and vote for any candidate of your choice.
During electoral periods, you have certain rights and responsibilities that are required for free and fair election:
1.    You have the right to support and campaign on behalf of any candidate
2.    To vote freely for any candidate of your choice
3.    To have your vote kept confidential
As a citizen in democracy, you have the responsibility to be informed.
1.    Register to be able to vote.
2.    Make sure you register before the deadline.
3.    Take time to educate yourself before you go to the poles.
4.    Know the date of the election.
5.    Know the assign polling station.
6.    Know the require documentation you need to go to the polling station to vote.
7.    Know the candidate you are voting for and his party.
Stay infromed by watching candidate debates, attending political events, and foreign news about the issues on the candidates on TV, newspaper, or radio. Improvement on the quality of your life can happen when you are able to exercise sufficient power to influence your govt.
Voting is important but the election is one day, the period before and after election is opportunity to advocate for the issues you care about. Before election, candidates are willing to learn about the issues of importance to their constituents. During this period, ask candidate to make a pledge or campaign promises to pursue the same policy when they get elected. After election, hold your candidate accountable to fulfill the promises. You can form an advocacy group to remind them of the promises. Your advocacy group can pressurize the elected candidate to pass policies that will provide jobs for the unemployed populace in your community. Your group can also track how the govt spends public funds, to make sure that they are used for the intended purposes such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, power, security, good quality of living etc. These activities could go a long way in fighting corruption in public spending; they also remind the elected candidates of the constituents concern throughout the term of office.

How can voters make their choices about a candidate and issues to support?
You cannot truly express your political voice unless you are first informed about your voting choices.
In deciding whom to vote, you should focus on the candidate’s idea for the future.
Look beyond the personality of the candidate or religion affiliations, gender, ethnicity, or place of origin.
Organizing candidate debate is one way voters can get informed on candidates’ policies before casting the vote.
As a voter, focus on the issues, issues based voters educations assists the voter in making decisions based on a specific problem, that helps to ensure voters  focus how the candidate plans to solve the problem, not the overall ideology. Make sure the candidates are aware of the main concern and why they are relevant to your life. Know what matters to you and the people, whether it’s healthcare, education, employment, good road, good water, other infrastructural amenities, power, etc.
Focusing on issues helps you understand how voting for a certain candidate or party or policy can lead the change you want to see. You have invested interest in election outcomes and you can mobilize your fellow citizens, encourage them to vote, challenge them to vote base on substantive issues and inspire the sustained engagement in the political process beyond the Election Day.
Your vote is your voiceIf you sell your vote, then you are essentially selling your future. Buying and selling votes, leads to reduced govt accountability, decreases trust in politics, and increases corruption.
Work with the members of your communities, to inform the fellow citizens of the importance of refusing to let anyone buy their votes. Use media, public events and voter education campaign.
You can also as candidate in the parties show public commitment to fight corruption and not buy votes during the election. If people don’t have faith that election will be free and fair, they may choose not to participate, but if they understand how their participation strengthens the influence on the issues they care about, they will be more inclined to cast their vote and stay more politically engaged.
Your political power lies in your vote. You can make the difference in your life, lives of your friends, family and in the life of your country.

Vote the change you want to see and stay engaged to ensure your voice continue to be heard long after Election Day.

Contact Olatuja Gabriel via 08067380225
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Author: verified_user