by Femi Sobowale

Created on: January 26, 2009

Even though education is important to enhance a person's perception of life, this should not be extended to basic responsibility such as voting, which is even a right of every American adult irrespective of educational attainment. Against this backdrop, one's belief is that using civics test for voting eligibility is a misnomer that should not be put in voter's way. Every responsible government is expected to be seen as allowing democracy to thrive, as oppose to using unnecessary provision like a civics test to disfranchise citizens from performing their rights.

According to statistics, only about 45 percent of eligible voters turn out to cast vote at elections, introducing civics test to determine eligibility to vote is pushing people to the extreme. Furthermore, it has the potential of allieniating voters from performing their obligation as citizens. Analysts are of the opinion that, given the extent at which politicians go to achieve their goals at the polls, civics test is seen as an avenue to deprive less educated from casting their ballot.

Level of one's education as a pass civics test may turn out to be should not be a yardstick for measuring voting rights. Rather, the present practice where nationality and age limit play prominent role in voting eligibility is a worldwide acceptable method, and should be maintained. Generally, education is supposed to be used only in areas where logic and reasoining are applicable in any given situation, voting for a government of one's choice should be allowed to florish with a minimum level of education. Civics test is definitely a higher level of thinking that requires appreciable level of educational.

Voting is such an endeavor that some citizens considered as doing a favor to the politicians in public offices, asking them to pass a civics test in order to vote will no doubt discourage them further. And the possibility of recording a lower percentage in voters' turn out is imminent. Making voters pass a compulsory civics test to vote is stretching their patience to the limit, and the end result is a likelihood of apathy toward voting at elections. Therefore, voters should be encouraged by way of removing existing obstacles such as making voting time more flexible, and convinience for people rather than introducing any type of test whatsoever. By the way, what has passing a test got to do with one's choice of competent people to the positions of power?

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