Elections will be held in Scotland on May 7, 2026. Many I’ve talked to – in these elections and others – say they will vote, but many others say they probably won’t. Some said they never have and never will.
Having lived under dictatorship, where voting was denied, I find it deeply troubling that a significant privilege can be taken for granted.
The power of participation
For those of us who have lived without voting rights, the value of democratic participation is paramount. Voting is not merely procedural – it is an act of agency, part of a broader civic duty that may include standing for office oneself. To forgo it is to choose silence. Lower turnout leaves decisions in fewer, less representative hands, weakening legitimacy and placing the most vulnerable at greater risk. We vote, sometimes, not for ourselves, but for those who have most to lose.
Why are so many walking away?
Reasons for not voting are myriad, but mostly, they express despair and disillusionment. A young woman told me, “What difference will it make; the system will continue unchanged”. Another said, “Bombs are falling, entire civilisations are targeted, and no one has jobs or housing or healthcare”. Some choose to distance themselves from the whole process saying, “I’m not into politics”. Others blamed the politicians, “They’re all the same”, and “They all lie”. One young person even said “Voting machines are built with cobalt mined by children all over the world, and just the story of the materiality of the voting machine is an illustration of the whole process”.
Are they wrong?
Sadly, these voices are not without merit.
For far too long, our leaders have failed the very people they are supposed to protect. Things that truly matter – community building, nurturing a spirit of civic engagement and responsibility, empathy for those less fortunate than ourselves – have all been set aside. The trickle-down economic theory never worked for those it was supposed to help; instead, resources gushed up to those who fortune had already blessed. Accountability was abandoned; a blatantly obvious two-tier justice system stacked the odds against the working class. Parties have put themselves before country, while a biased media landscape has too often amplified the worst instincts in politics.
Amidst this, social media, for all its ills, has exposed the corruption, the nepotism, and the cronyism.
The case for voting
Why then should one vote? Why should one put one’s faith in a system that has demonstrably let the public down?
The answer is simple: elections determine who makes decisions about schools, housing, transport, waste collection, and social care – the very fabric of daily life. Opting out opens the gate to growing inequity, benefitting those eager for power at any price. Our society will always organise itself based on a set of values; elections determine whose.
Recognising progress
Despite everything, progress exists. While there is undeniably a very long way to go still, minorities have more protections, more energy is being sourced from sustainable sources, movements for transparency and human dignity are strengthening. The backlash we see now is, in part, a reaction from those who benefit from the exploitative status quo. Sowing division, deflecting from positive change, and creating a feeling of powerlessness is a strategy. The shift toward authoritarianism has always been built upon a disillusioned population that has lost hope and faith in its own power.
Democracy from the ground up
Local elections are not a sideshow to national ones, they are the very foundation of democracy, and contribute to decisions that shape neighbourhoods, influence funding priorities, and determine the quality of essential services. They foster accountability, encourage civic engagement, and ensure that leadership remains responsive to the people. Scotland has a proud democratic tradition. It is in the hands – and votes – of the people to honour the trust that this legacy bestows.
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