Vote wisely, accept the verdict graciously

More than 17 million Sri Lankans go to the polls today to elect the ninth Executive President of the country. 46 years after the introduction of the EP which allowed voters to directly elect the executive, voters remain enthusiastic despite the notoriety that the EP has gained over the decades.

The 2024 Presidential election is unique in the sense there are three leading contenders vying for the presidency. They are incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe, SJB leader Sajith Premadasa and NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Many predictions have been made on who has the best chance of winning the election, but the ultimate deciders are the voters of this country.

Sri Lankans have, for close to 80 years since independence, jealously guarded their right to vote. Through insurrections and a separatist war, through political assassinations and constitutional coups, through the ouster of a president due to public agitation, democracy has trumped in the country however close we have come to going the way of many formerly colonised countries such as ending up under military rule or becoming an oligarchy.

This is not to say it’s been smooth sailing for the people of this country. They have endured many hardships and continue to do so but deep inside they remain committed to changing their ruler through the ballot instead of the bullet. They have braved threats and intimidation, bomb attacks and prohibitions on voting to make it to the polling booth and cast their vote to the person of their choice. Not all the choices have been wise as citizens have learned the hard way, but it’s with hopes for a better future for themselves as well as future generators that each voter marks a ballot paper in secrecy.

Sri Lanka’s had several watershed elections starting from 1956 when S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike led the historic win for the newly founded Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). According to historian K.M. de Silva, this win was the “rejection of so much that had come to be accepted as part of the normal order of things in post-colonial Sri Lanka.” Similarly, 1977 was another watershed year with the massive mandate for the United National Party (UNP) led by J.R. Jayewardene which brought with it the introduction of the current constitution including the EP. Each president has left his or her mark and while some have failed spectacularly, others have done surprising well in office.

When an election comes around as today, there is renewed hope among voters as they look for a fresh start for the country. Like most Lankans know it, pinning too many hopes on politicians leaves one disappointed. But that does not prevent them from hoping and wishing for better days.

In this election, the voters are going to the polls for the first time after the ouster of Gotabaya Rajapaksa from office. He was in office for less than three years and was elected with a massive mandate. He turned out to be a bitter disappointment and his unceremonious sendoff is testimony to that.

Anger and frustration are very much a part of the emotions of the voting public today. Nearly seven million voters who voted for Gotabaya Rajapaksa in particular are among those seeking redemption by looking for a new messiah. They will try to find him as one of the three main candidates.

But politicians are no messiahs; they are all too human and will falter. We as voters can play our role today by casting our vote. Once a winner is chosen, let us with graciousness accept the verdict and unite behind him for the sake of the country.