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Do we need a requirement to Vote?

What Requirements should we Impose?

  • Minimum IQ Level

    Votes: 3 7.5%
  • Pass Basic Literacy test

    Votes: 4 10.0%
  • Be able to pay Poll Tax

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Be able to pass test about a candidates position

    Votes: 4 10.0%
  • No Requirements should be made

    Votes: 29 72.5%

  • Total voters
    40

repeter

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I saw the thread on "Can we have too much Democracy" and it got me thinking, do we give the right to vote to too many people?

Right now, as far as I know, the only requirement to vote is to be a citizen, and registered as a voter, which means you've gone a relatively simple process.

I think the problem with today's democracy is that too many people can vote, and too many of those people do not know the actual issues, but only know of the mud-slinging contest between the people running for the office.

EDIT: I forgot to include civil service as a prerequisite for voting.
 
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There is a requirement to vote.....18 years of age.

Should we go back to having to pass tests in order to vote? :shock:
 
There is a requirement to vote.....18 years of age.

Should we go back to having to pass tests in order to vote? :shock:

Age restrictions granted, thats incredibly basic. I'm asking whether we need more comprehensive requirements.
 
Age restrictions granted, thats incredibly basic. I'm asking whether we need more comprehensive requirements.

And what are your thoughts?

I say it's just fine the way it is.
 
And what are your thoughts?

I say it's just fine the way it is.

I think it might be worthwhile to let people who understand the issues a candidate stands for vote, and nothing much less then that, because then he/she is voting on either the lies spread by the opposition, or on assumptions, both of which are bad to base a vote off of, IMO.
 
why should any citizen not have the right to vote, they still live in the country, and should have a say in it, whether they're intelligent or not. But if it were to be implemented, those that are exempt from voting should also be exempt from taxes, as they wouldn't have a say in how its spent.
 
I think it might be worthwhile to let people who understand the issues a candidate stands for vote, and nothing much less then that, because then he/she is voting on either the lies spread by the opposition, or on assumptions, both of which are bad to base a vote off of, IMO.

How would you determine who understands the issues? And we would need a Constitutional Amendment for that, no?
 
How would you determine who understands the issues?

a simple test asking which party a candidate belongs to, whether he/she has expressd free-market principles as the way to go, or government regulation, pro choice or pro life, etc. Like 10 questions, with a 60% passing rate needed to vote.
 
why should any citizen not have the right to vote, they still live in the country, and should have a say in it, whether they're intelligent or not. But if it were to be implemented, those that are exempt from voting should also be exempt from taxes, as they wouldn't have a say in how its spent.

Very true.
 
a simple test asking which party a candidate belongs to, whether he/she has expressd free-market principles as the way to go, or government regulation, pro choice or pro life, etc. Like 10 questions, with a 60% passing rate needed to vote.

That's ridiculous.
 
These should be the only requirements for voting-

18 years of age
US citizen
ID/driver's license
voter registration card
not currently incarcerated
 
You have to register.

You have to have an address.

You can't have a felony record.

And you need to be able to find the polling place.

The far-righties who want to cut the dopes from the polls should be careful what they wish for.... Palin couldn't pass a basic U.S. History quiz.
 
You have to register.

You have to have an address.

You can't have a felony record.

And you need to be able to find the polling place.

The far-righties who want to cut the dopes from the polls should be careful what they wish for.... Palin couldn't pass a basic U.S. History quiz.

What far-righties? The OP is a liberal.
 
People who aren't allowed to vote shouldn't be allowed to pay taxes, either... since their respective voices have been erased. How many people do you think will be failing on purpose? lol @ ideas like these.
 
It's unConstitutional.

I recall we had a poll tax quite some time back, and I assume we don't have it because it was either declared unconstitutional, or was taken out of practice by a Congress, but how is a test unconstitutional?
 
I think it might be worthwhile to let people who understand the issues a candidate stands for vote, and nothing much less then that, because then he/she is voting on either the lies spread by the opposition, or on assumptions, both of which are bad to base a vote off of, IMO.

Terrible idea.

It's not always clear where a candidate stands on the issues, nor is there a truly neutral party which would be able to determine if someone truly "understood" the issues or a candidate's stance on them.

Instead, I think there should at least be a basic literacy test. If you can't read, you have no place deciding the political fate of this nation.
 
This was tried back in the 60s to keep blacks and Latinos from voting. You really want to go there again? :shock:
 
Instead, I think there should at least be a basic literacy test. If you can't read, you have no place deciding the political fate of this nation.

What if you can read Spanish, but not English?
 
This was tried back in the 60s to keep blacks and Latinos from voting. You really want to go there again? :shock:

I wouldn't mind trying to keep the absolute dredges of our society from voting, quite frankly. It hurts our democratic process to include certain votes, and would be beneficial to just not take those votes in.
 
I wouldn't mind trying to keep the absolute dredges of our society from voting, quite frankly. It hurts our democratic process to include certain votes, and would be beneficial to just not take those votes in.

Wow. :shock:
 
What if you can read Spanish, but not English?

This is America, not Mexico. If you want to thrive in a country, you have to learn the language. Until you do, you can't vote. More motivation to learn to speak English.
 
This is America, not Mexico. If you want to thrive in a country, you have to learn the language. Until you do, you can't vote. More motivation to learn to speak English.

You sure you aren't a conservative? :2razz:
 
This is America, not Mexico. If you want to thrive in a country, you have to learn the language. Until you do, you can't vote. More motivation to learn to speak English.

america doesn't have an official language, so why should they have to learn one specific language?
 
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