One of the key pillars of a healthy functioning democracy is the active participation of its citizens in the political process. The question of why some citizens choose to participate in politics, while others remain dormant, is hotly debated. The vast majority of research on this subject tends to focus on individual-level factors to explain participation: income, level of education, job status, etc. But even when these variables are accounted for, widespread variation exists across individual communities.19th Century political philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville attempted to answer this question by analyzing the way that citizens interact with one another through community-based organizations. Using the United States as a case study, he observed that Americans have a strong propensity for forming civic associations, which ultimately translated into a stronger democracy. He theorized that “associations” (volunteer groups) help instill a sense of civic responsibility in citizens and bind society together by providing a forum through which diverse groups can interact with one another face-to-face and create lasting “bridges”.Political pundits in the present day have expanded upon de Tocqueville's work to account for current realities. In the ground-breaking work “Bowling Alone”, Harvard Professor Robert Putnam draws a correlation between effective democracy and the existence of a high degree of “social capital” within society. Putnam defines social capital as “features of social organization such as norms, networks and trust that facilitate cooperation and coordination for mutual benefit".Putnam notes that, since the early 1950s, social capital in America has experienced a steep decline. He cites as evidence that membership in civic organizations is down significantly (e.g., volunteers for Red Cross are down by 61% since the 1970s), along with participation in weekly church going, parent teacher organizations and fraternal organizations. He further points out that, over the same period, there has been a steep decline in voter turnout, along with participation in political rallies, speeches and town-hall meetings.Moreover, technological “individualizing” and modern lifestyles have served to isolate us from one another. We get into our elevators in the morning, with headphones in our ears and coffee mugs in our hands, without interacting with those around us. We proceed to the gym and commute to work thereafter, again, with the same result. We drive our cars into the parking garage at work, travel up another elevator, and walk straight to our offices or cubicles. Depending on one's line of work, it's easy to go through an entire day without interacting face to face with another human being.  We arrive at home after work and take our kids to soccer practice. We sit with other parents on the same bench, but spend more time on our cell phones playing candy crush then in communicating with them.  And so on.If we continue to “bowl alone”, Putnam cautions, we may not engage in the same meaningful civic discussions, and build those crucial civic skills needed for the long term viability of democracy. These local networks encouraged citizens to identify with the greater good of the community and encouraged collective action.The gradual decline of social capital in our communities provides a community-level explanation for why citizens have increasingly disengaged from participating in politics.But what are regular people at the grass roots level citing as reasons for why they do not vote in elections? What is polling data showing us?Recall, there was a time in Ontario when citizens turned out in high numbers to vote in elections. For example, in 1971, 74% of voters turned out to vote in the election which saw former Premier Bill Davis cruise to his first victory; more recently, 70% of Ontarians voted during the 2011 Federal Election. These numbers are a far cry from the 51% of voters that showed up to vote in the last provincial election in 2014.The following is a list (not exhaustive and in no particular order) of some of the most frequently cited reasons (as opposed to determinants like level of education) for why people do not vote:Registration Requirements: The number one reason cited by Ontarians as to why they don't vote, is the mistaken belief that they somehow can't, because they are not registered to do so. Polling results from Campaign Research suggests that a majority of university and college students, along with newcomers to the country (5-10 years in Canada), believe that they can't vote. In most cases, this is not correct: the National Register of Electors is updated automatically with Elections Canada & Ontario data, when individuals file their tax returns each year. Our Government, along with the media, can play a role in correcting misinformation among voters. Voter Apathy: scandals, partisan bickering and general distrust in government can cause people to shut down and glaze their eyes over when the subject of voting or politics comes up. I will admit, the first time that I saw Question Period I thought “wow, how does anything get done at this place?!” But as the argument goes, if you do not voice your opinion by voting, you should not complain when things remain the same. We owe it to ourselves and to future generations to participate in the democratic process. “My Vote Doesn't Count”: people choose not to vote because they feel that their vote doesn't matter or that Government does not represent their beliefs, aspirations and local concerns. This is a very real issue: even when the economy may be doing well and unemployment is low, there are segments of the population -- for example rural residents, newcomers and those living below the poverty line – who may feel left out of the “success” equation. (Donald Trump's electoral success – he capitalized on this sentiment -- is a prime example.) Government has a responsibility to help disperse resources and ensure that everyone can participate meaningfully in economic prosperity. Uninspiring Candidates: millennials, according to one study by Carleton University professor Jonathan Malloy, are less likely to vote if they don't like the candidates and feel that they would have to 'hold their nose' when voting. “Too Busy”: we all lead busy lives. Between work, extracurricular commitments, family and exercising (or Netflix!), life can be exceedingly busy and stressful. But is this really an excuse? By law, employers in Canada must give eligible voters time off to go vote. As well, there are plenty of options to vote in advance or by special ballot, if we know that we are going to be away on Election Day. The argument here is simple: people around the world have fought and died for their right to vote. There is no good excuse for failing to vote. Lack of Transportation: getting to the polling station can be a challenge, especially for those who are sick, disabled, or live in remote areas and lack transportation. But there is hope: special interest groups, along with individual electoral parties, increasingly offer shuttle services to and from polling stations Voter Suppression: is a strategy employed by political operatives to discourage or prevent citizens from exercising their right to vote. Operatives use a wide range of tactics to suppress votes, including: misinforming voters regarding polling locations and hours of operation, requiring citizens to provide overtly strict identification in order to vote, and in more extreme cases, threatening citizens with physical harm. Voter suppression reduces political participation, and undermines the very legitimacy of our electoral process. Voter suppression is also illegal: individuals found to be engaged in willfully preventing or endeavoring to prevent a citizen from voting during an election can be charged and tried under Canada's Election Act.Identifying the community and individual level reasons for why people do not vote is just a start. Where do we go from here? How do we reverse this trend? For starters, it's important to get out in our communities, participate in volunteer organizations, and engage with our fellow neighbors.  Strike up a conversation about current politics, engage in respectful debates and come up with solutions.  If you don't like something that governments or parties have done or are proposing, get involved and do something about it. Talk to your local representatives, go door knocking, participate in town halls, protests, sign a petition.  But whatever you do, participate.  Our democratic institutions and societies are better off when we all participate.Another possible measure that should be explored to increase voter turnout is the implementation of a compulsory voting system. There are currently 22 countries around the world that have such a system in place. In Australia for example, citizens aged 18 and over are required to register and vote during elections. Failure to perform this duty can result in fines and court time. Proponents of compulsory voting argue that it forces voters to better educate themselves regarding political issues, be more proactive in building a Government that represents their interests, and challenges them to take elections more seriously. Moreover, without the burden of having to spend time and resources in getting people out to the polls to vote, parties arguably have more time to build stronger policy platforms and talk about issues that matter to a broader spectrum of society. Ultimately, proponents argue that if more diverse voices are turning out to vote, it helps increases the legitimacy of our democratic institutions.But does forcing people to vote really address the core reasons for why people choose not to vote in the first place? Does compulsory voting violate our personal freedom and right to choose whether or not we want to participate in the democratic process? Is not voting a political statement in itself? Does a higher voter turnout during an election really guarantee greater legitimacy, if the citizens participating in the process are voting out of fear of punishment? And finally, does this measure not put the onus on individuals to vote, as opposed to politicians to inspire us to want to vote and represent us in the first place? These are all pertinent questions that must be carefully considered, before such a system can be implemented in Canada.Moreover, a recent private members bill tabled by Ontario MPP Arthur Potts has sparked a debate on the potential benefits of lowering the voting age from 18 to 16 in the province. Youth voters, it's argued, would add an important new dimension to our current political discourse, and help increase voter turnout. Youth have a vested interest in tackling issues of significance to our collective future: climate change, urban sprawl, intergenerational inequality and more. Youth voters, contrary to popular belief, do vote and participate in politics, but must be encouraged to do so. In the 2015 Federal Election, youth turned out in historic numbers to vote in the current government. The raw energy, idealism, and passion that a new fresh batch of youth voters would bring to the political arena would be exciting. However, are youth informed enough about issues and mature enough to appreciate the gravity of voting in an election? If we lower the voting age to 16, should we also lower the age requirement for when an individual can run for elected office?Reversing this deficit in political participation, to state it colloquially, is 'easier said than done'. But with some collective effort and coordinated action, we can effect change. After all, our democracy depends on it.Simmer Anand worked at Queen's Park for four years, as a senior advisor to cabinet ministers (Deb Matthews & Michael Chan).  Since 2016, he has been a Senior Government Relations Advisor at Hydro One Networks Inc. He graduated with an Honours Political Science degree from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, where he was awarded an Academic Gold Medal for achieving the highest cumulative GPA in his graduating class.