Compulsory voting

[Tenochtitlan]

Absolutely a horribly idea. While I would love 100% voter participation, it's only if the population bothers to take the time to educate themselves about the candidates and issues. The idea of people just going in there and checking boxes because they are forced to is terrible.

Wouldn't them being forced to vote also force them to learn a thing or two about the candidates, or how the system works? In my opinion, it might raise voter awareness. But then again it is also dangerous, because then candidates will do anything to get the votes of the uninterested people. (If that makes any sense )

 

[Gangor]

It's well known that the young and the poor (ie Labour's core supporters) are least likely to actually cast a vote, so it makes sense that they should wish to compel them.

 

[Sidhe]

That is a point Gangor but it's not that cut and dried, many working class youths are conservative and many are Labour supporters a smaller number are lib etc, I think the parties are fairly well represented by the youths as well. Students probably swing to the left though, but there are plenty of young conservatives in their group as well. I remember seeing a school kid vote in many schools from primary to secondary schools and I believe most voted green or labour as I recall in the last general election.

That said I'd say as a child I was Conservative because of influence from my parents who were pretty poor as well, then I ditched Conservatives in the mid Maggie years, just before she started going nuts , now I'm liberal, by the time I'm 75 I should be a militant communist by this line of progression

 

[Silent Spectre]

I refused to vote on the poll. Why? It's my choice, and you shouldn't be able to make me.

 

[WillJ]

Compulsory voting is a good solution to the voter's paradox, but that's just abstract political economy theory. In reality, I don't think too many well-informed people refuse to vote out of seeing it as counter to their rational self-interest, and compulsory voting probably boosts public political participation at a superficial level only.

 

[happy_Alex]

I do not agree with compulsory voting.

If people choose not to vote then they are are giving the authority their tacit support. People complain about the potentially low turn out on thursday, but in comparison to central government, local councils don't have a huge amount of power.

If people are content that their rubbish is collected, streets are cleaned regularly, street lighting works etc then they may choose not to vote .

I interpret this as support for the council

 

[Sidhe]

Actually in local elections I'd vote for Lib Dem in my neck of the woods because of there excellent policies and the improvement of my community, unfortunately Labour got in, but they aren't doing so bad so mah atm, not really that bothered. Implicit support for the council it is.

WillJ said it particularly well for me.

 

[GoldEagle]

Compulsory voting makes about as much as sense as having the death penalty for attempted suicide. You can't force people to be free! You can only give them the choice. Besides, if all those derelicts who can't be bothered to get off their *ss once every few years voted, who would they elect? I shudder to think.


Gotta love that NationStates

 

[Irish Caesar]

If you don't want to vote, I don't want you voting.

This would only screw over the people who pay attention to the news.

 

[CIVPhilzilla]

If people want to throw away their right it is their right to do that. All it means is more say for me when I start voting next year, and I will not miss a single day.

 

[Mirc]

No, I don't want compulsory voting.

 

[Mirc]

No, I don't want compulsory voting.

 

[willemvanoranje]

Where are the Brazilians and Belgians in this thread!!

 

[Caprice]

All compulsitory voting would do is require people who don't care to go to the polls and vote for all sorts of things they either don't know or couldn't care less about.

These are NOT the people I want to see at the polls anyway, so I'm content with the current non-compulsatory system here in the 'States.

On top of voter complacensy, the polling places would be absolutely SWAMPED, another thing that would be horrible and likely expencive to correct.

That said, I do encourage everyone I know to vote every single time there is an election taking place.

 

[YNCS]

Let's look at some of the potential voters:

• People like my brother-in-law, whom I love dearly (well, I like him a lot…okay, I can tolerate his presence once or twice a year), but who harbors unbelievable racial prejudice.

• People like my mother's friend, who once voted for a candidate because "he's so handsome."

• Party insiders, who want a job.

• Single issue voters, like the pro- and anti-abortion folks whose vision is as long and narrow as the Alaska pipeline (non-Americans can imagine examples appropriate to their country).

• People who vote for a candidate because of his religion.

• People who vote against a candidate because of his religion.

• The woman who told Jay Leno that she believed the presidential faces carved into Mt. Rushmore were caused by wind and sand (honest!).

• All the "Survivors."

• People whose goal is to dismantle the government.

• Special interest groups, from school teachers to employees of drug and tobacco companies.

• If you're in Chicago, people in cemeteries.

• People, unlike myself, who haven't had a fresh idea in years.

Now that I've insulted much of the world, allow me to be clear. All of these people can and should vote (well, maybe not the stiffs in Chicago). But do we really want to force them to vote?

 

[Caprice]

• The woman who told Jay Leno that she believed the presidential faces carved into Mt. Rushmore were caused by wind and sand (honest!).

That was just CLASSIC!

• Special interest groups, from school teachers to employees of drug and tobacco companies.

Like that is anything new...

• If you're in Chicago, people in cemeteries.

Again, nothing new here.

 

[kingjoshi]

I think you'll agree that the most capable people should be running our respectable countries - I'd simply like to extend that idea and disallow people who do not understand the issues from voting.

Sure, it wouldn't be an IQ test and an IQ test alone, it'd be much more than that - a test of whether the voter understands the issues, the platforms of the various parties, etc.

I'd rather have an informed voter than one who votes along party lines without understanding what the issues really mean.

Who sets the tests? We don't have tests for politicians, why have a test for those who have to vote for the politicians? Politicians can propose ideas (and they're sometimes implemented!) that have no basis in reality to the actual situation they're trying to combat. How does one devise a test to know how well someone understands the issues, when the politicians who propose ideas don't understand the issues themselves? By your own reasoning, your lack of understanding here would eliminate you from being involved in this matter.

 

[Smellincoffee]

If you make people who don't want to vote vote, they probably won't vote for who they think is best. If they didn't do it willingly, they either don't know the issues/candidates or don't care, so they'll pick one at random.

 

[kingjoshi]

I would tacitly support 'compulsive voting'. I find it amusing that so many that don't mind the government slowly eroding our rights complain about this.

For voters that feel no one represents them, they can vote 'none of the above'.

If you're apathetic, you can turn in an empty ballot.

We should have multiple days in which one can vote.

The fines should be minimal with exceptions for injuries or unforeseen events.

Once it became law, the only people who would suffer would be those that have to pay a fine. If they cared, the could vote to change the law

 

[Irish Caesar]

For voters that feel no one represents them, they can vote 'none of the above'.

What a stupid waste of time and therefore money, not to mention probably a waste of fuel to drive to the polls (because who walks anywhere anymore?). It would clog up traffic for people who have places to go; it would clog up the polling place for people who actually give a damn. And for what? To turn in an empty ballot!