Compulsory Voting - Yay? Nay?

[Aleris]

I've been thinking about this whole thing with the presidential elections being on at the moment (and I didn't want to hi-jack the other thread).

It's compulsory to vote here in Australia, you get fined if you don't go and don't have an excuse (like being overseas and not being able to get to the polls). It's like $20 or $50. Depending on Federal, State or Local.

I think compulsory voting is a good idea, but do you? I'm curious to know, bb!
😀

 

[Blondie Bear]

I don't. It's too important to have the right reasons and the right ideas when going to vote. I think compulsory voting would lead to knee-jerk voting; people stomping into the polls and jabbing random buttons and stomping back out without looking at who's running for what or caring.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I do not. There are too many people that vote for the wrong reasons and this would only make it worse. I would go further and say you have to screen voters in order to allow them to vote! (at least make sure they all agree with me)

 

[Mr. Pointy]

Yes - voting should be compulsory in all elections...but...there should always be an option for people to abstain...

 

[JenniferAlice]

I don't think ANYTHING should be compulsory, we've all got the right to vote, and that's enough.

 

[yellowcrayon]

I do not think compulsory voting is a good idea.

However, I also think the voting age should be abolished. Rather than have age-based discrimination for voters, I think they shouls have to pass a test, like the US citizenship one (most natural-born US citizens couldn't pass that!), to ensure that they really understand what voting is, and how to exercise their *privilege* of voting.

 

[Lyri]

No, 'cause then you'd get people in the voting boothes going 'Eeni, meenie, minie, mo' to choose who they're gonna vote for. And that's not the right way to go about it. 'Cause then you might be stuck with some clown in government, and you voted him in there, and now you're sitting there griping about what he's done to the country.

If you're gonna vote, do it right, study the candidates, find out what their policies are. Don't just vote because you think you have to.

I vote evey year, and it gives me a little happy when the people/party I've voted for wins. It's like 'Hey, I helped put him there!'

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Yes - voting should be compulsory in all elections...but...there should always be an option for people to abstain...

Our jury is compulsory; people are MADE to go or risk fines and/or jail time. You should see the people protest. I fully agree everyone SHOULD vote (especially when you have given so many lives over the years for the honor) but to make it manditory.. how do you expect the vote to remain 'true'

Come on, Pointy!

EDIT: by the way, i wasnt attacking with the come on remark, just explain how it can be a good thing. i cant see it. sway me hoss!

 

[Aleris]

I kind of find that, because it's compulsory, that people make a bit more effort to know what's going on (at least amongst the people I know) and to know what the basic ideas are to be able to make our choice on voting day.

We also don't have buttons to push, we have pretty massive pieces of paper (TOTALLY RIDICULOUS) to mark, and if you don't have some basic clue as to what you're doing, chances are you're going to 'donkey vote'. (Actually this is my biggest problem with our voting. It's toooooo complicated sometimes) So this means you have to go in with a semi-clue.

I understand how you guys are worried about mis-informed voting, though. If election policy type stuff was taught more in schools, would you feel better about people making a better choice? (Or is it already taught in schools and it doesn't help?)

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I understand how you guys are worried about mis-informed voting, though. If election policy type stuff was taught more in schools, would you feel better about people making a better choice? (Or is it already taught in schools and it doesn't help?)

Aleris, from my standpoint and what I see it's not a matter of being informed or not, it is simply indifference. People either do not care or do not see how their vote can make a difference. Many people that I have spoken with said 'it doesnt affect their lives' and they have 'real problems' to worry about than what a politican is saying.

I am not saying that is everyones view for those that do not vote, but it has been everyones that I have spoken with and to. So even if it was mandatory, they just will want to get in and out as fast as possible and on with their day.

 

[Washburne]

As a whole, no I don´t like the idea. But I can see some reasons for it. Yes, all the bad things people have mentioned can happen. But it´s not for certain. And lets face it, it´s not like everyone´s voting for the right reason now. If it´s compulsary it could be the same way for those people that usually don´t vote either. Some might actually give a damn since they know that they need to do this. Being an aussie and used to the idea might have given me other thoughts, but this is how I feel right now.

do not see how their vote can make a difference.

If that´s a valid reason for not voting I´d say bring the compulsary voting asap.

 

[Tueuse de Vampires]

I don't think compulsory voting is a good idea. I mean, come on, if people don't want to vote, for whatever reason, it's their choice. If I didn't agree with any of the given choices I wouldn't want to vote at all either.
And at least now you can say "Yeah, who voted this moron as president?", not "I had to vote for this moron because I didn't want to get a fine".

 

[Skanky Vamp]

If that´s a valid reason for not voting I´d say bring the compulsary voting asap.

But compulsary voting wont change that. Need to educate for awhile before compulsary voting. They have to understand the power of the vote before they can wield that power responsibly.

 

[Dancing man]

People should not be forced to vote but it doesnt really matter any ways politics is screwed up anyway because people pick parties and stay with them like there a football team and dont listen to the pro's and con's of the political parites I dont vote myself because in England it doesnt seem to matter there all as bad as each other and England is to messed up at the moment anywayz.

 

[Washburne]

If I didn't agree with any of the given choices I wouldn't want to vote at all either.

I don´t know how it is in other countries but here you can give a blank vote. Like saying "Yes, I care but the options suck!" That at least sends a message to those who run that there are many people who wants to vote just given the chance to vote for someone who they actually like. People who don´t care don´t have the right to complain in my eyes. Just vote and make you´re voice heard even if it´s just to say that the options suck. Staying at home only shows that you don´t care.

But compulsary voting wont change that. Need to educate for awhile before compulsary voting. They have to understand the power of the vote before they can wield that power responsibly.

I agree that education needs too. But do you at the moment simply draw a line that says "Those on this side are the people that vote and they all know exactly what they´re doing. And on this side we have the ones who don´t vote and they don´t have a clue about anything." Sounds like a way to simplify things to me. But maybe I just misunderstand you. It happens to me a lot.

 

[November]

I don't think compulsory voting is a good idea. I mean, come on, if people don't want to vote, for whatever reason, it's their choice. If I didn't agree with any of the given choices I wouldn't want to vote at all either.
And at least now you can say "Yeah, who voted this moron as president?", not "I had to vote for this moron because I didn't want to get a fine".

With compulsory voting here you dont HAVE to vote, you just have to get your name marked off on the electoral roll. So if you want to scribble "I vote Buffy" on your paper you can, it just doesnt count towards anything. Its not just a choice of one or the other party, you can just do a donkey vote.

I get annoyed at having to vote in the sense that I whinge about it, but those who know me know I whinge about everything. (Naughty me didnt vote this year, if I had been more organised I would have done an absentee vote, still waiting on the fine) but I dont mind it being compulsory. I think it does make us pay more attention to what is going on and WANT to have an imput. Im not the most politically minded person but I do pay attention and know where I stand when it comes to the Australian government.

I know next to nothing about the American system, but I see the people on TV voting against Obama cos they are SURE his name means he is a terrorist. I'd be more worried about those type of people voting really... I dont know how many of them actually get to the polling booths but maybe if they were better informed and had more to think about then 'just pushing a button' they would get the facts straight.

And now I realise how much of a slow typer I really am with all the replies since cangels post LOL

 

[Edmund Blackadder]

I believe that everyone should vote so yes, make it compulsory.

I have not read a single argument on this thread that holds any water to be honest.

Firstly, people vote for someone in all sorts of reasons.
At the Mayoral Elections in London this year I did a stint working in a polling booth and some of the reasons I heard were amazing:

'I liked him when he was on Have I got News for you'

'He has a pretty smile'

'I have no idea what the Mayor does but he knows the job so better the devil you know'

'I have always voted this party because my family does'

These are what I heard.
How is that different from 'eeny meeny miney mo'?

As for 'griping' about Electing someone you disagree with, well if on your first vote you vote in someone you didn't know but hate when in power that will teach you and the next time you will be informed.

Honestly speaking though in the run up to an election there is no reason why people should be uninformed. In fact for the larger elections you must make a point of avoiding it because it dominates everything.

So much has been sacrificed for the vote that anyone who doesn't vote because they haven't taken the time to do a little research actually annoy me.

 

[Allycat]

I'm not in favour of compulsory voting. I say let the people who don't care stay home and mind their soap-operas. If you think Brooke and Ridge are more important than Obama and McCain you shouldn't be allowed to vote in the first place.

 

[Karol]

Here in Brazil it´s compulsory and it sux. But for a country to have just the right to vote, it need political education and all, like some people are saying. The compulsory vote I think it´s made for those who don´t have this education YET, but someday the nation will be able to be free and make good use of it.
Here, people don´t transfer their titles so they don´t need to vote, the idea of "makes no difference" is so big, that even compulsory vote don´t get all people to the urns... I hate it, but I understand the existence.

And here it´s eletronic urns, so yes, you have to vote, but you can null (sp) it... We can´t vote vor Buffy xD

 

[Veyron]

Whilst compulsory voting may be a good idea in some places in others it's not a good idea. I don't think that the UK would be a better place if we had to vote in each and every election as I believe it would take away the voters right to abstain.