Elections update: why voting is important?
One of Israel’s most known communication research, Prop. Yoram Peri, has recently published an article (Hebrew version - http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3220418,00.html ) about the necessity to vote. Peri claims in that article that Israelis must go and vote, and by no means to put in the box a white note (abstained). Why?
According to Prop. Peri, there is a recent trend all over the western world to not vote in democracies, in a general elections. As for an example, the percentage of voters in general elections in the states or Switzerland was only 54% last elections. This is really low percentages, and should make us worried about.
In Israel there is as well an on going trend not to vote, so the percentage which was once one of the highest in the world (+80%) is now sharply decrease to a new low of only 67% last elections, (by the way; the highest in the world are the Australians, with 95%. Benji – any explanations? I have one…).
This sharp drop is due to variety of variables, such as apathy, the end of ideology, the not getting any better situation, lost of faith in democracy and more. Those who go to the beach (yes, people can go to actually swim in the sea, you know…) or preferring a white note are causing damage firstly to themselves, according to Peri.
When one is not voting he is probably helping out the party he hate the most – cause his vote is missing in the other side. This is why parties like the ultra orthodox parties are having a very big share in the parliament – they send every one to vote. On the opposite, the Arabs are miss-represented in the parliament due to the fact many of the Israeli Arabs are not going to vote.
Not only that, but when many are not voting, it is hard to justify the existence of the system, and this gives legitimacy to violent and not respecting the force of low.
Finally, Prop. Peri urge every Israeli to go and vote, to the sake of everybody.
More info: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3222715,00.html
http://www.knesset.gov.il/faction/eng/FactionPage_eng.asp?PG=185
http://www.israelvotes.com/2006/platforms.html
By Yahal Porat
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