VOTING IN DEMOCRACY: AN INSTRUMENT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Democracy has been described as the system government through which people of a given society manage their political, economic, environmental and social affairs whether directly or indirectly. It is a form of government where people have opportunity of directly getting involved in making decisions that affects their lives or indirectly through elected representatives. Central to democracy is election where people are usually elected to occupy positions of authority in order to represent and protect the interest of those who elected them. This election normally takes place through voting which is a formal way of choosing and expressing ones’ interest in a particular candidate who stands in for election. It follows that democracy is about elections and elections is about voting, as such voting is a pillar upon which both democracy and elections rest. At the same time the level or extent of societal development depends on the nature, type or characteristics of its elected leaders. This paper therefore discusses the importance of voting in an election in the development of a society. It highlights issues such as voting systems, concepts of development, voting in democracy and development as well as implications of not voting in an election.