Voting can change the future of a generation or a nation. For that reason, voting is most effective when it is thoughtful rather than mechanical. What are the roles of remaining open-minded, being informed, and engaging in political dialogue in making political participation meaningful?

Remaining open-minded means being open to new ideas, being informed is important to make informed decisions, and engaging in political dialogue is how one arrives to decisions that best serve the community.

Explanation:

Voting is the basis of democratic political systems. Through voting in free and fair elections, citizens of a democracy choose how the government should be run. The people exercise their sovereign power as the foundation of democracies through their participation in the affairs of the state. Because of the responsiblity this entails, voting should be thoughtful rather than mechanical.

Being informed is the right and duty of every citizen in order to make the best and most informed decisions with the best available information. Keeping an open mind means being open to new political ideas and discourses, no matter one's political position, as everybody has the right to express their opinion on how to best run the state. Engaging in political dialogue with other fellow citizens, whether oneagrees or doesn't, is the process where ideas are freely discussed and debated in order to better the interests of the nation. All these activities play a crucial role in making participation in a democratic process meaningful.