Go vote

Published On: May 13, 2017 02:00 AM NPT By: Republica  | @RepublicaNepal


Every way you look at it, Sunday will be a historic day in the annals of Nepali democracy. Local level election is being held in Nepal after a gap of 20 years and in the first phase on May 14, up to five million eligible voters will go to the 6,642 polling booths spread across three federal provinces. They will in the process choose 13,556 local representatives. We would like to take this opportunity on election eve to ask our readers from the three provinces (provinces 3, 4 and 6) to go and vote on this historic occasion if they are eligible to do so. For voting is not just about picking your representatives; it is also an expression of your belief in the democratic process. You might not be too pleased with those you have elected in the past, as they might have failed to deliver on their electoral promises. But then you have so many options this time: if you are dissatisfied with representatives of established parties like Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, you might opt for the contenders from new forces like Sajha Party and Bibeksheel Nepali party; or perhaps you believe that at the end of the day there is no alternative to these old established political parties. Either way, you need to vote. 

It might also be argued that local election is not about political parties at all. Most election candidates in local elections are the folks you meet in your day-to-day life, so you have a chance to judge their competence and character up close. This also makes it easier for you, the voter, to hold them accountable. The distance between voters and prospective candidates might be greater in the urban hubs—for instance the four metropolises going to the polls in the first phase—but even here rather than always cribbing and complaining about potholed roads and erratic water supply, you now actually have a chance to do something about it. By engaging in the political process, you will also be a stakeholder in it. Studies show that if you have voted, you are also more likely to lodge an official complaint if the candidate you voted for wins but does not deliver. This in turn makes elected officials more accountable. As citizens of a democratic society, it is our responsibility to uphold the democratic process, because, despite all its flaws, it is still by far the most desirable political system. 

Vote on Sunday because local government is arguably the most important of the three levels of government envisioned by the new constitution. This is why excitement around the impending election is palpable, right across the country. One of the main tragedies of Nepal’s 70-odd years of democratic history is Kathmandu’s failure to bring essential goods and services to people’s doorsteps. The vast powers promised to new local units aim to reverse this trend, as they will be in a position to provide almost all the essential services that people need of their government. Casting votes in the local election is the first meaningful step to make this exercise in decentralization of power work. So go vote on Sunday and do yourself, your country and the community you are a part of a big favor. 


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