Why vote?
Because it matters! There are plenty of cases where important elections were decided by only a few votes. Still don’t believe it? Then here are three reasons to vote, justified by rigorous research:
Voting really does change government policy.
Politicians respond to voters’ choices–so you have the power to affect how government does business, in everything from taxation, to health care, to international relations. There is extensive research to back this up. [1, 2, 3] There’s also plenty of evidence that elections have a significant impact at the local level. [4, 5] So your vote can change school funding, policies for affordable housing, new infrastructure projects, or policing practices, as just four examples. Don’t listen to the cynics who say that voting doesn’t change anything. That view is simplistic and usually wrong.
If you don’t vote, you let someone else decide for you.
Research is very clear that groups that don’t turn out to vote are less likely to have their interests represented. [6, 7, 8] Democracy is stronger, and society more inclusive, when diverse voices speak up. So don’t surrender the chance to make your voice heard–tell people what you want and what you stand for!
Use it or lose it.
Voting helps protect your rights–including the right to vote. In many countries around the world (including some close by in Central and Eastern Europe!), citizens have lost the power to influence government. [9, 10, 11] Authoritarians hold sham elections, and voting is neither free nor fair. People in the Czech Republic lost their democratic rights after the communist takeover in 1948, and only got them back after 1989. Don’t let history repeat–don’t let would-be despots ignore you: Exercise your right to vote!
Learn what we think about it
Juryj's heart
I come from Belarus, where elections are only a joke and power never changes hands. Living in the Czech Republic, I’ve gained something many still fight for: a real vote. I will never take it for granted.
Democracy only works when we use it. Like a bicycle, it falls if we stop pedaling. Voting is not just a right—it’s a responsibility. It’s how we shape our future, hold power to account, and make our voices count.
No system is perfect. But if we don’t show up, we give up control. I’ve seen what that leads to. That’s why I vote—and why I hope you will too.
Ben's heart
Voting is a duty and a privilege. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I believe that everyone has an obligation to contribute to the community they live in. Voting is one of those obligations. It’s the chance to help decide what I think is best for my community–and I think everyone should have that chance. If you have the right to vote but don’t vote, to me that says that you don’t care much about what happens in the place you live, or about the people you live there with. But not only should we vote–because we’re intelligent adults, because we want to make our community better, because we want to exercise our rights–I think voting is also a tremendous privilege. I benefit so much from this wonderful place I call home; the chance to vote to help make it better is both exciting and wonderful.
Suzanne’s heart
Politics—do we really have to talk about it? Often it feels hopeless. But here’s the hard truth: politics shapes your life in a BIG way. From education to criminality, from vacations in Spain to expressing your identity—it all ties back to politics. It might seem tempting to leave politics to a small group of authoritarians who promise they’ll solve every problem for you. But that’s a big lie. They only make decisions that serve their own interests, not yours. And their decisions will not expand your freedom. Autocrats want you to sit back, complain, feel powerless, and do nothing. Don’t give them that satisfaction—go vote. Is democracy perfect? Far from it. But it is the most direct way in which you can influence who will be making decisions that impact your life and your loved ones. Go vote!