Question

Mention any one way in which people participate in democracy

Answer 1

$<b> Election is the way in which people participate in democracy$

Answer 2

Obviously the first thing is to vote, but I would suggest voting for candidates who’s policies reflect your own values rather than simply following party political candidates.

Democracy does not finish at the polls

Hold representatives to scrutiny over their campaign promises and voting records.

Attend town halls or surgeries and ask them questions

Write to them on points you feel strongly about and get their commitment on their point of view again to hold them to account

Create and file petitions on issues that are important to you. This is even easier with the internet as their are both privately sponsored and in some cases government sponsored petition sites that will collate signatures and send letters.

Join pressure groups as well if again the issues are important. I am thinking local issues rather than ideological groups. These will also tend to create and file petitions and run campaigns on issues.

Finally participate in the process by either volunteering to help candidates or stand for office. It could be just in local township or higher. You do not have to win office to influence results.

I would like to see representatives at least forced to acknowledge petitions and conduct polls or plebiscites on key issues, not to disempower them but to give them the backing of their constituency. I would not like to see representatives reduced to agents but would like to see more checks and balances on them doing their job and have a universal right of recall if they are not.

The strength of a democracy is dependent on its’ level of participation. When there is minimal participation, there is a higher likely hood that those elected will share in the electorate’s desires.

A good example of this is the United States of America.

in the highly publicized and divided Presidential election of 2016, there was a turnout of 57.1% of eligible voters.

Trump received 46.1% of the vote.

So, basically Trump was voted for by roughly 26% of the eligible voters.

Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon occurrence in the United States of America.

Only a few times in the history of the U.S.A. has there been a turnout 80% or greater (the largest being 81.8% in 1876).

There are many reasons given for low voter turnout in the United States:

Restrictive voting laws (most of which are in the Republican held south).

You actually have to register to vote in the United States, it is not a self evident right.

There are only two political parties, which are, for the most part, funded by the same people, with the exception of a few extremely wealthy folks, whom have found a way around financing laws by creating groups that can send an unlimited amount of funding. This makes folks feel like their vote doesn’t count. In actuality, they are correct. They can vote, and it will count, but they candidates are supplied by the powers. You can write in anyone’s name, but you will likely never see that name get any %.

Many People feel their vote doesn’t count, because of the Electoral College, and how some states are winner take all.

Many People indicate that they cannot get to the polls (yes, it is not a holiday to celebrate our freedoms and vote, it’s just another work day in the U.S.A., ).

Registration problems

Illness, injury, out of town, you name it, there are several excuses .