Voter Education Vital

In a democracy, elections are a fundamental mechanism that connects the government and the people. They serve as the most reliable means of expressing the aspirations and needs of citizens. This is why countries hold elections when confronted with serious political crises. However, for elections to be truly meaningful, voters must be aware of the electoral process, the pressing needs of the country and the agendas of parties and their candidates. This underscores the importance of voter education. It enables people to understand their constitutional rights, make informed decisions and grasp the implications of their choices at the ballot box. Several studies show that voter education significantly increases participation in elections. This enhanced civic engagement has a positive impact on governance and transparency.  

Obviously, knowledgeable electorates are the backbone of a democratic polity. Informed voters understand the power of their ballots and are better equipped to make sound decisions, unlike those who cannot choose wisely. Voter education also helps reduce invalid votes.  Despite the improved literacy rate, voters continue to make errors, resulting high number of invalid votes in each election. More importantly, voter education is vital in countering misinformation, disinformation, fake news and propaganda. Social media platforms and digital media are saturated with trolls and fakes targeting particular candidates and parties. When the candidates and their supporters weaponise social sites to increase their votes, the voters face a dilemma. 

Effective voter education equips citizens with the tools to distinguish facts from false information. Increasing media literacy and fostering critical thinking among voters helps them select competent, moral and ethical candidates. This, in turn, promotes value-based politics and discourages reliance on money, muscle, or connection in elections. As Nepal prepares for the House of Representatives (HoR) elections on March 5, the Election Commission (EC) is racing against time to ensure the democratic exercise succeeds. It has prioritised voter education to boost public participation and minimise invalid votes. 

According to a news report of this daily the other day, the EC has taken the initiative to deploy volunteers in all 6,743 wards of 753 local units for the voter education programme. It has decided to mobilise experienced persons such as child development facilitators, maternal and infant health workers, women's health volunteers, and community service centre operators for the purpose. An EC official said that previous elections registered a high rate of invalid votes, particularly in the areas with low literacy levels and where political parties forged electoral alliances. It is natural for voters to get confused about the poll symbols in such a situation. The election body hopes that voter education enables the people to learn the voting process, and election symbols and filter accurate information from the flood of disinformation.

Enlightened voters not only know how to cast their ballots correctly, but they are also less likely to be swayed by fake news spread by rival parties. To conduct the polls in a free, fair and fearless environment, robust security measures and logistical support are essential. The role of educated voters is also equally important to this end, for they have confidence and the ability to choose the right candidates and resist disinformation that can cause fear and insecurity at polling centres.