Understanding Your Role As A Voter

By James Jimenez

The big idea is this: every voter fulfills a tripartite rule in our elections: first, as partner of the Commission on Elections; secondly, as a political citizen in a democracy; and third, as an evangelist for democracy.

COMELEC PARTNER

Every voting citizen is a stakeholder in elections – we all stand to gain or lose depending on how elections turn out. As a partner of the election management body therefore, each voter must learn to look at elections the way they do, and define successful elections as one in which everyone who is eligible to vote is properly qualified to cast their ballot; that no one is unfairly or unjustly denied the opportunity to vote; and that everyone understands and knows how to use the system being employed to cast and count the ballots.

Looked at from another way, the terms of the YOU-COMELEC partnership are simply: the COMELEC tells you what you need to know and do in order to exercise your right to vote; and you have to go do it. This necessarily includes: making sure that you are able to register to vote during the period provided by COMELEC – which normally lasts months, so what’s your excuse? It also means, if you are already registered to vote, taking the time to periodically update your registration status – have you transferred residences? Have you undergone a name-change? Do you now have special needs? And so on.

Equally important – you, as a partner of COMELEC, must understand how the Automated Election System or AES works. Understanding how the system works acts as your first line of defense against misinformation and disinformation – which is particularly important to have in the coming 2025 National and Local Elections. If you know what’s going on when a voting machine rejects a ballot, for example, you will be less likely to fall victim to fear mongers out to undermine confidence in the process.

CITIZEN OF DEMOCRACY

Apart from being a COMELEC partner, every voter is also a citizen in a democracy. This means that every voter is supposed to be participating in the electoral exercise as a partisan.

Voters are supposed to pick candidates based on criteria that they themselves are comfortable with. While you and I may disagree with what constitutes “what’s good for the country,” I daresay, we both believe that our choices are motivated by that impulse – to choose what’s good for the country. And since we believe that, it behooves us to do everything we can to ensure that our bets win their races.

The poet John Milton describes the end of the world – or of societies built on representative democracy like ours – as the time when “the best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.” Thus, our participation in elections goes beyond just casting our votes. We must also seek to refine our knowledge of the issues and the proposed solutions, so we can pick the best representatives for us; we must try to convince others of the soundness of our choice, even in the face of toxic partisanship; and we must hold our chosen candidates to the highest standards of integrity.

EVANGELIST FOR DEMOCRACY

Every bit as critical as being a partner of COMELEC and a citizen of democracy, the voter must also be an evangelist for democracy.

The persistence of our democratic way of life cannot be taken for granted. We must constantly work at preserving democracy, especially against the rising tide of authoritarian tendencies amongst many populist politicians.

We voters must, therefore, encourage friends and family to register and vote. We need to share our knowledge to inspire others, never forgetting that democracy thrives best when we work together. You might go a step further and even consider volunteering for elections – this early, several election advocacy groups have already put out a call for volunteers. Sign up!

And use your social media platforms responsibly, not just to advocate for informed voting, but to actively counter misinformation and disinformation.

But perhaps most importantly, you must model your own behavior and to lead by example. If you tell people you are accepting bribery, they will too. But if you tell people that your vote isn’t for sale, theirs will be off the market as well.

DEAR VOTER

Dear voter, you must be willing to speak FOR democracy and elections. Use your social media platforms to broadcast your commitment to democracy – especially when democratic principles are being ignored or trivialized. As a voter, you have the power to shape policies, elect leaders, and influence the direction of our nation. Commit to making your mark in every election. It’s not just about today; it’s about building a better tomorrow.