Get Involved: Exercise your Right to Vote!

Elections play a vital role in a system of representative democracy. It is the time that people influence the direction of their country. Ultimate authority resides with the people and the people delegate this authority to government representatives through the electoral process.

Elections provide citizens a means to replace incumbents and change the government, or vote in a plebiscite and change the system of the government. Thus, they help the public to keep office-holders and political parties accountable, and keep the government system effectively running.

This unique role of the elections in a democratic system makes voting a special right of the people in many different forms of political participation that citizen can engage in, to influence the government. Furthermore, as academe usually states, voting is the only form of participation in which each citizen has an equal say – one person, one vote.

The right to vote if exercised can make a great impact in the country. However, as many would say, this special right has a corresponding responsibility. The right to vote must be used as an arm to maintain an accountable and effective government. This would only happen if the Filipino voters are educated enough with candidates’ credentials and platform of government – to make the right choice for specific elective position.

Given this Right and Responsibility during election, the Student Leader’s Forum (SLF) Kabataang Liberal ng Pilipinas (KALIPI), National Student League (NSL) and Center for Liberal Leadership (CLL) launched a voters education campaign entitled, “Get Involved: Exercise your Right to Vote!”

The campaign aims to:

1. Help the Filipino youth understand the Philippine electoral system, which includes history of elections, procedures of voting, and the real definition of public service;

2. Provide the Filipino voters especially youth and students with an appropriate venue to be well informed of candidates’ credentials and platform of government;

3. Inform them of their role in affecting change by exercising their right to vote; and

4. Encourage them to vote in May 14, 2007 Mid Term Election

By Eric D. Caliboso
Project Director

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