EVERY election season, the public discourse is filled with the imperative to 'vote wisely.' So, how do we do it? Voting is often seen as a simple act of shading that small circle on the ballot, but it is so much more than that. It is an act of entrusting our collective welfare to someone else for the next three or six years. Suffrage is not just a right; it is an ultimate expression of hope and a momentous decision that has a significant impact on our motherland.

When we vote, we are actually signing or entering into a social contract. It is one between the citizen and the candidate — a commitment of trust. We agree to give a portion of our life, liberty and property to someone, trusting that he or she will manage them for our benefit. In exchange, we expect him or her to safeguard our rights, secure our well-being, improve our communities, and lead our country toward peace, progress and prosperity. We vote not for convenience but for the long-term success of our nation, seeping into every aspect of our lives.