Here’s why you should not vote on Monday

After three months of enduring annoying campaign jingles and political ads, the campaign season finally ends today. Finally, nothing will interrupt our sleep and our TV-viewing. That’s undeniably a good thing.

But a few days before the election, this is still one of the biggest questions you’ll get: Are you going to vote?

Read also: Hey kids, are you voting on May 13?

Here are the only valid reasons why a Filipino citizen should not vote:

1. You’re too young to vote. (You can only register to vote when you’re at least 18 years old)
2. You can’t vote because you’re not registered (Eep. Why? Anyway, please join discussions within your family and community. Your voice still matters. And also, please register for the next elections.)
3. You’re dead. (Uhm, we don’t want ghost voters!)

— NOTHING FOLLOWS —

If you are too young to vote, your opinion still matters. Tell your fam and friends about the issues you care about.

If you are a registered voter, there is no valid excuse to keep that vote all to yourself. Listen to your younger siblings, your friends, your parents, and everyone you love. Listen to indigents. But apart from listening, do your own research. As what Representative Sarah Elago tells us, vote with care and sympathy.

Read also: Voting 101: Friendly reminders for first-time voters

Voting, first and foremost, is a right. As a democratic country, it is our right to choose and elect the leaders we want to elect. More than a right, voting is a duty we must fulfill. It’s our mandate to elect people who can effectively make laws that will make the lives of Filipinos better.

Voting is not about you. It’s about the lola you sat beside with during your morning commute, your good friends, and the babies born the moment you read this.

So, vote! And vote, as cliché as it is, wisely!

Ed’s note: This text was originally sent to our newsletter subscribers. We’re putting this out here for everyone to read, because the results of the upcoming elections are crucial for our future. If you also want to receive weekly newsletters from us, sign up here.

Art by Marx Fidel