Hicham El Ouahabi | Be sure to look further down the list
Don’t automatically vote for the number one on the list in next week’s election, advises Hicham El Ouahabi. “By getting to know the candidates, you can choose the one who has a lot of knowledge about the one issue you find of utmost importance.”
The ballots are on the doormat, the streets are littered with campaign posters and on social media, political parties are vying for your attention. The time of political musical chairs when politicians trip over each other to capture your vote, has arrived once again. November 22nd is the day. Everywhere, including in student dorms, and in the midst of all the unpleasant happenings in the world, the question “Who will you vote for?” will once again take center stage.
Will you cast a strategic vote? Or will you opt for a protest vote? Or will you stick to your core values and cast an ideological vote? Will you vote left or right, progressive or conservative, or somewhere in the middle? It's all possible, and the great thing is that there is no right or wrong. When it becomes clear which party will get your vote, chances are you will choose the most familiar face of the party. Usually, the person in first place on the party list.
But why simply entrust your vote to the most familiar face? Enrich your own experience and dive deeper into the background of the candidates of the party(ies) you are considering. Exercising your vote does not just involve choosing a political party. It is also choosing an individual who will (potentially) represent you in the political arena. By immersing yourself in the candidates' positions, you can choose one with a great deal of knowledge about the one issue you find of utmost importance.
Delving into the candidates’ backgrounds also allows you to choose those whose possible presence could make the composition of the parliament more diverse in terms of gender, age, or educational background. Also, if the candidate you consciously voted for won a seat, I believe it can further enhance your personal involvement in the political process. It allows you to build an (online) connection and understand them better. And perhaps even prevent disappointment.
In short, paying attention to this can make your representation in politics more effective. Most importantly, however, is that you at least go out and vote. Yes, even if it’s going to rain.
