Undecided voters can choose to vote with someone on the issues they care about, the authors write. (Sharon Cereto/Gallo Images)
Not everyone who is registered has decided who they will vote for on Wednesday. Paul Kariuki and Tabile Mdluli I write that undecided voters should choose to vote with others on the issues they care about, rather than not voting at all, and I explain why this is important.
With just days to go until the 2024 national and state elections, anxiety is growing as people struggle to decide who to vote for.
It is widely expected to be South Africa's most competitive election since democracy began, with a recent Bloomberg poll finding that nearly a third of registered voters are undecided about which party to vote for.
This observation comes after the Afrobarometer survey recently released findings that shed some light on the issues contributing to voter indecision.
- 47% of respondents said they felt no affinity to any political party, meaning their party support was not fixed.
- 85% feel the country is heading in the wrong direction, up from 68% in the 2018 survey.
- Chronic development challenges such as unemployment, power outages and corruption remain top concerns, and most political parties appear to have no clear approach on how to address these challenges.
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The above statistics are not surprising as there have been successive court battles to arbitrate election-related concerns brought by various political parties seeking clarification on procedural matters which they believe may have been overlooked by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
Although the courts have played a key role in arbitration and clarified all issues relating to the electoral process, some political parties have been running campaigns questioning the integrity of the IEC as the administrator of elections as mandated by the South African Constitution to ensure free and fair elections.
The good news is that the Commission remains committed to assuring South Africans that all systems are sound and beyond reproach as long as the elections are conducted professionally as expected.
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However, conflicting messages from some political parties about their vision for South Africa and how to solve the challenges facing the people are contributing to the confusion voters currently face.
As the election day draws closer, voters are beginning to question the motives behind some political parties' election messages and their interest in garnering people's votes. The possibility of a coalition government retaining power has fuelled pre-election deals, exposing the implicit motives of some political parties.
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As a result, some voters are unsure which party is worth voting for. As the election approaches, this increased uncertainty could lead undecided voters to ultimately choose not to vote.
The possibility of “not showing up to vote” on Election Day means a much-needed vote that will influence the course of the country after the election is lost. This is not a good thing for a democracy. So what can undecided voters do to ensure that their voice is added to the voices of other voters?
Undecided voters may vote in solidarity with decided voters. Voting in solidarity in an election simply means that voters vote in support of a particular candidate or party. Often, voters do not avoid voting, but rather vote to show support for a particular cause, group, concern, or community.
There are many issues of concern in our country and no single political party can answer all these issues and questions, but rather than abandoning the vote and remaining in a pessimistic position and continuing to complain about poor governance and leadership, let us rather choose to vote together with others on issues they care about and add our voice to theirs to affect change.
Voting in solidarity is important for several reasons.
- There is strength in numbers – When voters come together to support a party or candidate, the collective voice is greatly amplified and can influence the political process and political outcomes.
- Building coalitions and alliances to bring about big change – Voting in solidarity fosters unity among like-minded individuals and can lead to broader alliances that can bring about meaningful change in society.
- Promoting representation – Voting in solidarity also increases trust in minority voices, gives them a sense of agency, and ensures that their interests are represented in elections, improving the wellbeing of the people.
- Promoting socially important causes – Solidarity voting helps advance a particular cause by electing representatives who are committed to tackling a particular issue.
In conclusion, it should be noted that voters' choices depend on a variety of factors related to voters' concerns and on the election promises of political parties.
We advocate for voting in solidarity so that all citizens can exercise their right as citizens to influence the course of our country through their vote.
Every vote counts in determining the future of our country and our democracy, so make sure you vote count.
– Dr Paul Kariuki is Executive Director, Democracy and Development Programme (DDP). Thabile Mdluli is an Associate Facilitator at DDP. The opinions expressed here are Mdluli's own.
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