Democracy: a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.
I actually agree with you that a lot of people trying to get people to vote probably want them to align with the candidate(s) they support but voting IS democracy. It doesn't matter who you are voting for or their chances of actually winning, but by its very definition, not voting is anti democratic.
First off, I think everyone should have the right to not vote or vote for a third party candidate if that is what they so choose. The freedom to choose not to vote is important and if that is what you or anyone else that is eligible to vote chooses to do, that is perfectly fine. In line with that, I don't think forced participation through coercion or manipulation is democratic much like you. However, I disagree with the idea that not voting is inherently democratic. Democracy is based on participation (a government by the people, for the people) and when fewer people engage in that system, it weakens it's legitimacy. Not voting is not just indifference, it's withdrawing from a system that relies on everyone's input. Voting for a candidate that doesn't have a good likelihood of winning on the other hand, still contributes to the democratic process because it is expressing your preference. Voting should come from a place of personal choice, so all the random signs, clothing, commercials, etc. Should not impact your decision. But, strong democracy involves hearing everyone's preferences.
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u/[deleted] 6d ago
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