Casting a ballot is a civic duty

Now is the time for robust civic engagement to help shape the critical decisions that lie ahead. Such pathetic voter turnout undercuts the very purpose of accurately reflecting the public will. In a 2014 report on the voting patterns in Toronto municipal elections, authors Myer Siemiatycki and Sean Marshall noted the consequences of low voter turn-out. “Additionally, low voter participation can reflect broader dynamics of social exclusion and alienation felt by some voters. Finally, the legitimacy of government itself can be compromised, if voter turnout is especially low in some areas or communities,” he stated.