US Citizens: Should Voting for Federal Elections be Mandatory?

[Me,myself,and,I]

I'm sure the civil libertarians in this forum will get upset at this, but we already have so many different forms of government compulsion ranging from taxes to speed limits to jury duty. What is one more compulsion that ensures that everyone's voice will be heard?

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Okay, now let's have a government mandate saying that you must floss twice a day. How about compelling people to eat certain government approved meals. After all, what is one more compulsion that ensures everyone will be healthy?

 

[Bill3000]

What army would enforce it? Would they get a fair trial?

Presumably you'd enforce it the same way other countries do it; a fine; that will incentivize like 90% of the population or so.

 

[IglooDame]

It doesn't really. Nobody cares if voter turnout in less than 30%...that doesn't change how anybody governs, since the message is really unclear. Did a lot of conservative voters stay home because they thought an election wasn't in doubt? Were voting procedures too complicated? Was it apathy? Was it inconvenient? Nobody really knows.

If you want to send a message that the two main candidates suck, make sure you vote, and then write in a guy or go 3rd party. People do notice on the rare times when a 3rd party candidate gets into the double digits in an election.

There's a lot more attention paid to third party candidates (or write-ins) when they get enough of a percentage to play king-maker than to registered non-voters (much less not-registered adults) that always have the numbers to sway every single election.

 

[Incodcito]

Right. That really sends a much better message and totally rationalizes the complete waste of time.

What I would like to see is internet voting. If I can do it from home in a minute or less, I might even take the time to write in Mickey Mouse for president.

Why do you hate their right to lack of freedom and liberty in their own country? And are you willing to start with the US, Israel and every other US ally?

Yea... what could go wrong with internet voting

 

[Incodcito]

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Okay, now let's have a government mandate saying that you must floss twice a day. How about compelling people to eat certain government approved meals. After all, what is one more compulsion that ensures everyone will be healthy?

Oh come on, the slippery slope argument, really? Last I checked Australia is not mandating people eat government approved meals.

 

[GenMarshall]

Absolutely not!!

 

[Incodcito]

I should have made the poll private... oh, the irony.

 

[Thedrin]

I haven't looked at voting in the following way before so the following post may be complete rubbish.

Throughout history, the vast majority of people living in organised society have gotten by while government and its actions was decided a tiny political class. The non political class didn't take part in government before and, in societies where they now have the opportunity to do so, a fairly large amount of them continue to not take part in government.

What has changed for people living in democracies and republics: when a large amount of the people who are ordinarily indifferent to politics have a big problem with the government, they have a legal means to enact change without attempting revolution.

In that light, low turn out in elections could be viewed as an indication that many people view all candidates as being equally acceptable.

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I did once think that compulsory voting was a good idea, but when most of those who don't vote are not well informed I don't see the point. I then thought voting should be restricted to those who choose to keep themselves informed of the issues (as opposed to "I like to play Scrabble and Candidate X likes to play Scrabble so I voted for him) but when the informed voter believes that Sinn Fein's economic policies will improve the economy, create jobs, and maintain social welfare at its current levels plus a small cost of living increase (Gerry Adams informed him of this) that doesn't seem like a particularly good idea either.

 

[BasketCase]

What is one more compulsion that ensures that everyone's voice will be heard?

Everyone's voice is already heard. When somebody doesn't go to the voting booth, they are signifying by their absence that they don't give a crap. That's just as important as actually going to the voting booth. Why do people decide not to bother voting?

BECAUSE ALL THE CANDIDATES ARE IDIOTS.

That message has always been there--you simply missed it.

 

[schlaufuchs]

Voting is a right, not a duty. Forcing someone to do something against their will is the antithesis of liberty. And to do so with people who don't see much difference between the two flavors of ice cream presented makes as much sense as forcing western values and morals on unwilling eastern countries. Not voting actually sends a much clearer message than blindly supporting such an absurd political system.

Besides, what makes anybody think the outcome of elections would likely be any different in the vast majority of cases? So what's the point?

This.

Really, I tried to add something to this, but Forma's post just sums up my sentiments so perfectly that there really is nothing for me to add.

 

[Incodcito]

Everyone's voice is already heard. When somebody doesn't go to the voting booth, they are signifying by their absence that they don't give a crap. That's just as important as actually going to the voting booth. Why do people decide not to bother voting?

BECAUSE ALL THE CANDIDATES ARE IDIOTS.

That message has always been there--you simply missed it.

Not giving a crap and laziness are two different things. I'd wager that laziness trumps all other reasons for not voting.

I admit that some truly do not give a crap and it should therefore be a valid option in the voting booth to vote your apathy.

 

[Aleenik]

Of course it shouldn't be required. There are those that don't vote because they just don't care. There are those who don't vote because they feel their choice doesn't really matter much anyways. There are those that don't vote because they don't believe in government. There are other reasons as well.

 

[Bill3000]

If you feel that your vote doesn't matter, you can always argue for a different voting system other than first past the post. That's a completely different matter from ignoring one's duty to vote, which is certainly as important as paying taxes.

 

[Incodcito]

Of course it shouldn't be required. There are those that don't vote because they just don't care. There are those who don't vote because they feel their choice doesn't really matter much anyways. There are those that don't vote because they don't believe in government. There are other reasons as well.

If you don't care, vote blank. Wash, rinse, repeat for everyone else who disagrees. Voting is first a right, then a duty that ensures that the will of the people is followed when electing representatives... instead of the current system which has an inbuilt political skew due to disproportionate voting among demographics.

 

[Aleenik]

If you don't care, vote blank.

That accomplishes nothing. I know the argument, "well, you are at least exercising your right to vote", but it doesn't hold merit with me.

In the first presidential election I will be allowed to vote in, the 2012 election, I plan to not vote. Instead, on that day, I plan to read Anarchism: A Collection of Revolutionary Writings by Peter Kropotkin (Пётр Алексе́евич Кропо́тки&#1085. Gotta get my reading in.

 

[Zelig]

Donkey voting (Voting for the first name listed) will become more common and politics will be totally ridiculous.

Any reasonable electoral system randomizes the order of options.

 

[Ajidica]

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Okay, now let's have a government mandate saying that you must floss twice a day. How about compelling people to eat certain government approved meals. After all, what is one more compulsion that ensures everyone will be healthy?

Do you have such little faith in the intelligence and morals of your fellow citizen that you would assume people are incapable of deciding upon a prudent level of government mandates?

That accomplishes nothing. I know the argument, "well, you are at least exercising your right to vote", but it doesn't hold merit with me.

The newspapers report that X% of the ballots were turned in blank. Politicians want votes so they will try and make the blank voters happy. Everybody wins!

In the first presidential election I will be allowed to vote in, the 2012 election, I plan to not vote. Instead, on that day, I plan to read Anarchism: A Collection of Revolutionary Writings by Peter Kropotkin (Пётр Алексе́евич Кропо́тки&#1085. Gotta get my reading in.

So you plan not to vote (and thus allowing an authority to compel you that you did not consent to) so you can read about why no individual should be driven by non-consentual authority?
Kropotkin is rolling in his grave. I don't think his 'Appeal to Young' is working out.

Donkey voting (Voting for the first name listed) will become more common and politics will be totally ridiculous.

D comes before R, so I approve of this method!

 

[Aleenik]

Do you have such little faith in the intelligence and morals of your fellow citizen that you would assume people are incapable of deciding upon a prudent level of government mandates?


The newspapers report that X% of the ballots were turned in blank. Politicians want votes so they will try and make the blank voters happy. Everybody wins!


So you plan not to vote (and thus allowing an authority to compel you that you did not consent to) so you can read about why no individual should be driven by non-consentual authority?
Kropotkin is rolling in his grave. I don't think his 'Appeal to Young' is working out.


D comes before R, so I approve of this method!

I really didn't have a set thing I plan to do on election day, it was more of a joke. And yes, I know anarchism doesn't advocate the abolishment of all authority, rather unjustified authority. But anyways, it is true that I don't plan to vote.

Also, I don't see why you say he is rolling in his grave. Not all anarchist believe in voting, as far as I'm aware. It seems more like a personal choice imho.

 

[Ajidica]

So you plan to be compelled by non-consentual authority? Or do you consent to to a non-accountable authority and this make Kropotkin and Bakunin cry?

 

[Joecoolyo]

Not giving a crap and laziness are two different things. I'd wager that laziness trumps all other reasons for not voting.

Lazy people have rights too, you know.