Who Thinks Compulsory Voting Laws Are A Good Idea?

[DA60]

It doesn't come to that in Australia. As I understand it, a fine or community service is levied if a person doesn't vote.

'And there has been an increase in recent years of what Australians call informal or spoilt ballots - instances where voters either mistakenly or intentionally submit a ballot that is blank or improperly filled in, which cannot be counted in the final tally.

Spoilt ballots count for around 6% of the total votes cast in the 2010 election. Taken together with the number of eligible voters who fail to register, the actual percentage for voter turnout in Australia's federal elections hovers in the low 80s.
Mr Kent says that these statistics show that forcing people to vote does not translate into an engaged electorate. He argues that a non-compulsory voting system would encourage Australians to be more involved.
"If voting was democratic, politicians would be beholden to the voters, they couldn't hold a gun to our heads and force us to vote, they'd have to give us a good reason to vote. They'd have to inspire us."

Australia election: Why is voting compulsory? - BBC News

 

[Hawkeye10]

'And there has been an increase in recent years of what Australians call informal or spoilt ballots - instances where voters either mistakenly or intentionally submit a ballot that is blank or improperly filled in, which cannot be counted in the final tally.

Spoilt ballots count for around 6% of the total votes cast in the 2010 election. Taken together with the number of eligible voters who fail to register, the actual percentage for voter turnout in Australia's federal elections hovers in the low 80s.
Mr Kent says that these statistics show that forcing people to vote does not translate into an engaged electorate. He argues that a non-compulsory voting system would encourage Australians to be more involved.
"If voting was democratic, politicians would be beholden to the voters, they couldn't hold a gun to our heads and force us to vote, they'd have to give us a good reason to vote. They'd have to inspire us."

Australia election: Why is voting compulsory? - BBC News

When we start seriously considering aping australia we should know that it is time we start examining our sanity.

 

[Hawkeye10]

sorry dublicate

 

[AGENT J]

I am curious which kind of people are in favor or compulsory voting laws as practiced is many countries, such as Australia for example. My hunch is that the progressively minded are more in favor, while the more conservative folk tend to not like the idea. But I could be completely wrong about that.

Please vote in the poll, and feel free to explain your choice and start a fight in a comment.

Poor poll in the vast majority of cases there should always be an "other"
I vote other because in general I do not believe compulsory voting is a good idea but I could EASILY support it if it was set up properly. If it was set up on line or by mail and you didn't have to actually vote, you could simply vote present or "ballot received/not vote) I might be more on board.

I wouldnt support "forced" voting or fines for not voting but i'd be way more open to just a basic roll call. This way you are counted but you dont have to actually vote.

 

[HonestJoe]

It’s not flawless and it shouldn’t be a stand-alone change just for the sake of it but I could see it as a valid part in improving the electoral system. I certainly think it would need to be alongside a “none of the above” option.

I’d like to see more independently supplied information in various media, especially at local/regional level so national politics doesn’t dominate people’s decisions and I’d like to see party membership of individual candidates removed from ballots so you have to know who you’re actually voting for rather than just whoever “your” party has put up.

I don’t think the problem is lack of political engagement as much as the only political engagement being at very superficial level with the national politics and personalities as promoted by the mass media. They all generally ignore the real issues as they affect individuals and communities across the nation, which becomes a vicious circle.

 

[Gaztopian]

Dear lord, no. It's bad enough that people are allowed to vote, let alone ensuring that everyone votes, including the disinclined.

 

[Van Basten]

No, they are tyrannical.

 

[PakPuk]

I want fewer people voting, lets put up some good roadblocks so that only the people who are determined can do it.

There should be a test to take before you are allowed to vote, I am afraid some are too stupid to be able to vote responsibly.

 

[Gonzo Rodeo]

I'm a little disappointed. I was hoping to hear more from the liberals, progressives, and socialists.

 

[Lafayette]

I want fewer people voting, lets put up some good roadblocks so that only the people who are determined can do it.

Yeah, with machine-guns ...

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

I am curious which kind of people are in favor or compulsory voting laws as practiced is many countries, such as Australia for example. My hunch is that the progressively minded are more in favor, while the more conservative folk tend to not like the idea. But I could be completely wrong about that.

Please vote in the poll, and feel free to explain your choice and start a fight in a comment.

Any amount of voter turn out is bad, until we find a control for rational irrationality.
Most people vote based on expressive interests, rather than practical.

Economists know what steps would improve the efficiency of HSE [health, safety, and environmental] regulation, and they have not been bashful advocates of them. These steps include substituting markets in property rights, such as emission rights, for command and control...The real problem lies deeper than any lack of reform proposals or failure to press them. It is our inability to understand their lack of political appeal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_choice

To surmise, we're quite a distance from having a "good" democratic republic.

 

[natsb]

I'm a little disappointed. I was hoping to hear more from the liberals, progressives, and socialists.

Probably because the groups you list tend to be very authoritarian. Answering a poll like this would only expose a tendency that they would prefer to keep under cover.

 

[natsb]

Nuts.

Absolutely nuts, imo.

Forced to vote?

What's next? Forced to watch political broadcasts? Forced to have a drivers license? Forced to conceive?


If they ever do that in my country, I will start a political party called '**** Compulsory Voting'.

I know what you mean. What if they force everyone to purchase medical insurance they can't afford? no... wait...

 

[earthworm]

YES
Sadly people must be forced to be good citizens
In this area , we need complete reform .. honesty .. true debates .. a choice "none of the above" ..position papers .. limited government financed campaigns ..What we have now is worse than terrible ..

 

[Skeptic Bob]

Not voting can be as much a stement as voting so no, it should not be compulsory.

 

[earthworm]

There should be a test to take before you are allowed to vote, I am afraid some are too stupid to be able to vote responsibly.

Including you, sir ?
The danger is so evident...
With mandatory voting , our education system must be upgraded .. a civics course(mandatory, must pass) .. one idea - may be lousy ..but.

 

[PakPuk]

Including you, sir ?
The danger is so evident...
With mandatory voting , our education system must be upgraded .. a civics course(mandatory, must pass) .. one idea - may be lousy ..but.

I assure you if there were tests there would be a Republican landslide.

 

[cpwill]

This is a disastrous idea. We have too many morons voting already.

 

[cpwill]

There should be a test to take before you are allowed to vote, I am afraid some are too stupid to be able to vote responsibly.

I would recommend it be based on this one

 

[PakPuk]

I would recommend it be based on this one

Democrats would lose a lot of votes then

 

[antiquity]

I didn't vote in the poll because I believe this is a free country and voting is an individual choice and a duty but not a requirement. And asking if compulsory voting in either direction is a good idea is not a very reasoned out question.

 

[Phys251]

I want fewer people voting, lets put up some good roadblocks so that only the people who are determined can do it.

UGH. Sounds like a ****ing dictatorship or aristocracy to me.

 

[Paleocon]

I am curious which kind of people are in favor or compulsory voting laws as practiced is many countries, such as Australia for example. My hunch is that the progressively minded are more in favor, while the more conservative folk tend to not like the idea. But I could be completely wrong about that.

Please vote in the poll, and feel free to explain your choice and start a fight in a comment.

No. We need less voters, not more.

 

[Lafayette]

I'm a little disappointed. I was hoping to hear more from the liberals, progressives, and socialists.

Here's some rationale, both pro and con, regarding Compulsory Voting.

Voting is somewhat manipulated in the US. It is incorrect to assume that "votes are being bought" - nobody is waiting for us at the polling stations with wads of hundred dollar bills. But money does influence voting patterns. Howzzat?

Apparently because Americans can be swayed by BoobTube sound-bytes, which is where most of the money goes. (Which is why it is called a BoobTube, and has nothing whatsoever to do with female paraphernalia.)

In mid-terms American voters have rarely turned-out in percentages above 40% since 1970 (from here). In presidential elections, they do get up to above 50%, but not much above since 1968. So, is a country a real democracy if its people do not vote as a majority of the electorate. Not in my book.

The International Institute for Democracy (IDEA) site contains an historical listing of International Voter-Turnout since 1945. If one dissects that list by selecting both Western European and North American countries (US & Canada) "historical values", the results look like this:
North America
US: 120th (out 169 countries)
Canada: 83rd

European Union (Caveat*)
Belgium: 5th
Austria: 10th
Italy: 15th
Netherlands: 26th
Sweden: 27th
Denmark: 32nd
Germany: 33rd
Norway: 48th
Greece: 53rd
Portugal: 68th
Finland: 72nd
UK: 76th
France: 84th
Spain: 85th
Ireland: 87th
*Selection made only of European Union countries that were non-Communist

I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions. But, I will put this question: If a people are lazy about voting, do they deserve any better a political class than the one they get?

Judge for yourself ...

 

[Lafayette]

Countries where compulsory voting incurs here.

Note particularly the countries that have had compulsory voting and then removed it.