What Every Voter Needs to Know Before Making a Decision

The Importance of Voting

Being in a democratic country is more important than ever. Voting for our leader can let us make sure that the person representing our country, province, state, county, or city is the best of the best. Now you may be wondering; who should I vote for?

How to Make a Decision

You can’t just vote for someone out of nowhere! There are a few essential factors we need to focus on. These factors may change depending on the situation, but the examples cover a broad range.

1. The main goal. Each person/party should have a primary platform. This platform may be focused on the main issues important to your community. It is usually a red flag if a candidate doesn’t have a good platform.
2. Hard-working. A good candidate should not be juggling many things at once. Always make sure that they are dedicated to working for you and helping the community. It is usually a red flag if the candidate is doing more than one job at once.
3. Every person has a leader. Every person running in an election has a leader, which is usually represented on an election sign, or other advertisements. In many jurisdictions, although it may seem that you are voting for one person, your vote also contributes to the bigger pool of ballots, which decides the main leader of the state/province/country. This leader helps make bigger decisions for everyone, and usually has the same goals as the person you are voting for.
4. There’s more! Make sure to vote for a person who represents your beliefs. In addition to these important factors, it is crucial to make some for yourself!

Levels of leadership

There are many different levels of democracy. Below, you will see a hierarchy of leaders, being explained later.

• Federal Leader
  • Provincial/State/County Leader
    • Municipal Leader

• Federal District
  • Provincial/State/County District
    • Municipal District

First off, the federal leader is the one who controls big decisions for the country and communicates with other nations. Next, the provincial/state/county Leader makes big decisions for the province, state, or county. Next, the municipal leader makes all the changes for the city or town. These changes may include bylaws, roads, or organizing events.

In general, the districts are the geographical areas that the leaders represent.

When Can I Vote?

Almost every democratic country has a minimum voting age. Most range around 18 years old, but some countries may go with 16 or 21. You can reference this Wikipedia list for the ages of every country.

Wrapping it Up

If there is only one thing you take out of this article, remember that with my strongest voice, and with the voices of millions of others across the world we encourage you to get out there, make a decision, and hand in your ballot! And never forget, it’s your vote, your voice.