National Voters' Day to be observed today

National Voter Registration Day wasn’t started by any one group but by a coalition of organisations who wanted to create a day to raise awareness of the importance of voting — similar to what Earth Day does for the environmental movement.

Some people treat the right to vote and voting itself as no big deal. They say all politicians are the same. That big money demolishes the impact of an individual's vote and that after Election Day, from the Mayor's office to the Parliament; nothing will change, no matter how they cast their ballot. This is balderdash. But, worse than that, it's an insult to the men and women who lost their blood and sometimes their lives in the struggle to ensure citizens' fundamental right to choose their own leaders.

This is not to say that voting is the end-all, be-all of democracy. Voting doesn't solve every problem. Sometimes those leaders we choose turn out to be diplomatic, unprincipled, corrupt, stupid, bloodthirsty, or just folks who have managed to wangle themselves a lucrative sinecure. Everybody can come up with his or her own examples. Even many of the good leaders, the honest, well-intentioned, highly principled, forward-thinking politicians, disappoint us in various ways.

Nobody ever said our system is full proof, flawless that it doesn't need adjusting or some more transformative change. But while the struggles to make those adjustments or transform how we govern ourselves always begin outside the electoral system—inside the hearts of reformers and in the streets—voting is crucial to make those changes. Every reform in our country has started outside the legislatures and executive branches of the state. But all that succeeded were also confirmed by elected representatives of the people.

Social Security wouldn't exist without pressure from the people. Nor would unions or equal rights for women, underprivileged and poor.

It's a good time to take stock of your personal situation. Are you registered? However you choose to cast your ballot, however your state allows you to do so, make sure you are set to go even if you have been voting for decades. Fill out a registration form. Do it now! Share it with family and friends- voting is "The most powerful, nonviolent tool we have to create a more perfect union."

You can’t vote if you’re not registered. And if you don’t vote, you’re part of the problem, not the solution. Isn’t it time to reclaim our small “d” democracy and get the good government we pay for? If you agree, do your civic duty.

“Let each one of us take on our civic responsibility seriously and begin by making informed choices. Let us not forget that we will only get the leaders we deserve. We need to vote not because it is our fundamental right alone; we need to vote because it is the beginning of making India a vibrant and healthy democracy. Merely being the largest democracy is not enough anymore. We need to make democracy every Indian’s business. For after all, we cannot let our country be led all the time. We should lead it by choosing the right leaders,” endorses Meghna, a hockey player.

“We need public officials in office whose objective is to go out of their way to ensure that everyone who wants to vote gets to do so. There is only one way to replace these undemocratic officials and that is to vote them out. Can't do that without completing the first step and making sure everyone you know who agrees in this matter is also registered,” says Ankur who started the site called I for India. “If we want to start to see the wave of endorsements from elected officials, we have to flex our political muscle. The only way to do that is to get registered to vote. Ultimately, that is the only way to hold politicians accountable,” says Anirudh.