By Stefany Rocha Del Litto
Who do you think will win the election? Who do you think is the strongest opponent to beat? Who will be noticed? And if your response is apathy and abstentionism, you have everything to win. When election time comes, some of us feel more excited than others. But what happens when people simply decide to stay home and not vote? That’s what we call abstentionism, and it’s a problem that could be affecting our chances of building a more peaceful future.
That feeling is shared by 5 out of 10 Mexicans according to data from the INE. In the last election of 2021, almost 99.73% of the contemplated polling stations were installed, but when the time came to go out to vote, only half of the electoral roll did so. Why don’t people vote? Well, there are many reasons. Some people feel disconnected from politics, think their vote doesn’t matter, or are simply too busy with other things. But here’s the thing: When too many people decide not to vote, it can have a real impact on our communities and our country.
So how does this apathy relate to peacebuilding? Easy, openness to dialogue.
One of the essential foundations to achieve sustainable peace, according to the Institute for Economy and Peace (2023), is the free circulation of information. This implies not only having access to know what is happening, the proposals and public opinions, but also understanding that you have the right and citizen responsibility to listen to various points of view, dialogue and thus create an informed opinion.
When we don’t vote, we are letting other people make decisions for us. This means that the politicians who are elected may not really represent what we want. And if people don’t feel represented, they are more likely to feel frustrated and disillusioned with the political system as a whole. Have you already seen? It is a vicious circle.
So what can we do to build peace in this election? Well, it’s one thing to educate ourselves about the issues and candidates at stake. The more we know, the more prepared we will be to make decisions. It is also important to remember that it is a time to open our tolerance and respect for others, to leave behind prejudices and simply be open to listening.
So this June 2, think about this: let’s not let apathy win the election. Every vote counts to build a more peaceful and prosperous future for all of us. Don’t be left out.