Voting can be a huge pain. No one actually wants to take time out of their day to stand around in an old, smelly gymnasium and wait to cast a ballot. It can even seem pointless, especially if who you voted for doesn’t win. But it’s necessary. The right to vote is a fundamental part of an equitable society. It gives the average person a say, when it often feels like they don’t have one. Throughout history, it’s something that has had to literally be fought for. Even today, there are places where full suffrage is a pretense. The right to vote was hard won and is still a fight for many societies. So, why doesn’t everyone do it if they’re lucky enough to be able to?
People give a multitude of reasons. Some find it too confusing or, as well documented in America’s 2016 election, some don’t like their choices. Some are unable to get to a polling station while too many simply don’t care. In the 2016 presidential election, around 55 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot. In Canada’s last election, 68.3 percent voted. Whatever the reason, the lack of voter turnout is noticeable, especially when compared to other developed countries. That doesn’t mean it can’t change, though.
If other countries can reach 80-90 percent voter turnout, it’s obviously not an unattainable goal. Looking back, the voter turnout in the US during the 1800s was around 80 percent. Canada’s turnout has often been in the 70s, even close to 80 percent a handful of times. So, it’s definitely not impossible. But how do you inspire people to vote? Learning from the history of suffrage could be the first step.
The right to vote has a long and sordid history in both the U.S. and Canada. In 1870, America made it so men from any background (excluding Indigenous men) were allowed to vote so long as they were 21 or over. Women didn’t get the right to vote until 1920 and some Native Americans were finally allowed to four years later. It wasn’t as equal as it seemed though. Unethical practices such as literacy tests and poll taxes purposefully targeted minorities and the poor to disenfranchise them. It wasn’t until the 24th Amendment was put in place in 1964 – giving all citizens over the age of 21 the same voting rights – that things started to look more like they do now. In 1971, the voting age was lowered to 18 and four years later literacy tests were finally banned throughout the country. In 1984, all polling places had to be accessible for those with disabilities. Are there still problems despite the progress? Yes. Strict rules, like voter ID laws, are meant to stop voter fraud, but often end up hurting the people who have the right to vote and are considered by many, such as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, to be discriminatory.
In post-confederate Canada, only male British subjects with taxable land aged 21 and over were allowed to vote. In 1917, The Wartime Elections Act changed things countrywide when enlisted women or those who had relatives fighting in the war, were allowed to vote. Unfortunately, those born in an enemy country (like Germany), had their right taken away, no matter their sex. In 1918, women (excluding those of Indigenous and Asian heritage) gained the right to vote federally. From 1916 to 1940, most women gained the vote provincially. These were huge gains, but racist stratagems and incessant disenfranchisement – especially from those at the forefront of the movement – wrongly left too many behind. It wasn’t until 1969 though, that every Canadian citizen 21 and over, in all levels of government, got the vote. In 1970, the minimum age was lowered to 18 and, in 1982, the Constitution was amended with the addition of The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to reflect these changes. On top of this, inmates are also allowed to vote, as are citizens who live abroad and those without a fixed address.
It’s important to know that we didn’t always have the rights we like to take advantage of now. Forgetting our history leads to it repeating itself if we’re not mindful. So let’s be mindful and have respect for what it took for our rights to get to the place they are now.
Trying to understand elections can often leave us feeling lost. But it’s not as scary as it seems. Get informed and find out about the candidates and their party ideals. Most candidates canvass, have information sessions and websites. Talk to your friends, stay up-to-date with the news and search the internet, then align yourself with the ones you think would benefit your community and/or country the most.
If you’ve never voted before, or only do so every now and again, it’s never too late to get involved and make your voice heard. Every single vote counts. If you’re 18 or older and a citizen, you’re eligible to vote in Canada, as long as you’ve registered to do so. It’s similar in America, though there are additional requirements which depend on the state you’re voting in.
When we forget the power we have, and the importance of the individual, things never turn out well. The ones who don’t forget will often take advantage of those who do. Don’t let that happen. If you can’t find it in you to vote because you can, vote for the ones who never got the chance. Vote for those who currently don’t have the right to. Don’t waste it, because one day, you may wish you hadn’t.