The Power of Voting

In the wake of the 2023 general election in Greece, it is useful to examine the important data that this election produced. However, this analysis will be focused on the most shameful of all data: the abstention. The percentage of abstention was 46%, a very high but (in this particular political climate) very expected result. In truth, the expected and the usual rarely overlap with what is right. Therefore, I am writing this article as a love letter toward political participation and the power of the vote.

For starters, the profile of the person who abstains from elections should be outlined. Three are, more or less, the types of people who do not participate in elections: First, the people who are unable to get to the polling stations be it because they live far away (young adults tend to leave Greece in pursuit of more opportunities), or because they are elderly and/or have mobility issues, with each of these categories being excluded from my analysis. Second, are the people who are indifferent to the elections, a behaviour that could be attributed to either ignorance regarding politics, or indifference due to distractions and the individualistic tendencies of the modern person. Third, are the people who are interested in facilitating social change but abstain from voting as a means of protest. The two latter types of people are the ones I will try to persuade to vote.

The first argument for voting is the fact that non-voters surrender control of matters they have a stake in, to others (the voters), something they would never willingly allow in any other aspect of their lives. In other words, the person that abstains from voting, surrenders power to people who would strive for their own agendas and fight for their own interests; not the absentee’s. But, there are people who despite acknowledging the previous argument, still choose not to vote. To them “every politician is the same” and it does not matter whether they vote or not, since the same outcome would probably be achieved. Of course, no two people are alike and it is especially paradoxical to claim that thousands of candidates have the same morality and interests, which even in a purely statistical sense, is impossible. The stance of “they are all the same” does have some merit in Greece, where a lot of scandals and a great deal of corruption are present. But by being indifferent, there is a great deal of impunity for politicians, who should be punished politically for all their transgressions. When that punishment does not exist, the non-voters give the politicians the green light to continue their malicious actions, and to paraphrase a popular quote: “If we give them an inch they’ll take a mile” and perhaps wreak even more havoc on our political system. Despite that, even if all viable candidates are inappropriate for office, we must choose the lesser of all evils and pick the candidate that would do the least harm, which would grant us short-term calmness and precious time for long-term change.

Moreover, abstention from voting is especially disrespectful if performed by Greek people, due to our shared history and the struggles of our ancestors. Democracy was founded in ancient Greece and is the legacy and perhaps the greatest contribution of our nation to the world, as the foundation of Western culture. However, democracy is dependent upon the people and their active role in their communities. Thus, it loses its power when inaction and indifference take over. Not too long ago, our grandparents fought against the fascist regime of the junta and restored our democracy. So, for Greek people, it has historically been a struggle towards democracy and freedom. With this historic link between democracy and our country, it is an action of respect for our ancestors’ sacrifices, to use our democratic power to vote.

The only way to change our world for the better is indeed for every one of us to contribute and work together for our shared interests, and participating in elections is the bare minimum towards that goal. Change cannot be achieved through indifference, and revolution cannot be successful through inaction. The fight for democracy was not finished when the junta was defeated, that’s when it began. But in a crisis-ridden and politically inactive Greece, it starts to seem like a losing battle. The only salvation from a return to those dark times is through our participation in the democratic process and the continuation of the everlasting battle for democracy and its ideals. Our vote is, indeed, our power. It is an honour and a duty to use it.