Mandatory Voting

[Rich2018]

There will be a rise in third parties. My feeling is that if everyone is forced to vote, then voices will be heard and parties will be created around them. What this means is that both the GOP and DNC will suffer from splintering, reducing each party's power further (making the GOP, even more of a minority party). While the third parties may not be as powerful as the DNC or even reduced GOP...they will be able to get votes and candidates elected at various levels to help shape policy. Something third parties don't really get to do now. BTW, I'm a Democrat and I would continue to stay as one (most likely), but I am not adverse to the people havong a larger selection of those who will listen to them.


This is the point that is appealing. A multi-party system would necessitate more cooperation between lawmakers. There is no in between with two parties......it is just either/or

I think it's more likely that existing parties will become a more broader church of opinion but yes I'd expect to see some smaller parties

I think the USA is basically a two party state right now and that is not exactly healthy, a political spectrum featuring multiple parties would be politically more healthy.

 

[bomberfox]

What is the difference ?


What is the "punishment" for citizens who're made to attend a voting station on election day ?

They can record any TV show they miss.

That depends on what is backing the compulsion.

 

[bomberfox]

Actually attend a voting station on election day or face a $20 fine

Not exactly onerous is it, not exactly Alcatraz either.

Actually how about no . Im keepin it. How about fixing the ****ing problems and make Americans feel more like the matter? How about forbidding political parties from drawing districts? How about removing legalized bribery? Before you say “well the police will drag you off” Americans are going ACAB

 

[bomberfox]

They would get a fine - automatically added to their tax bill or deducted from their welfare check

No huge fine - something like $20




Who are they ?
Do they also believe that jury service is a sin, and if so are they exempted ?

And again, no-one would force you to vote, just attend a voting station and get checked off




IMO, this should not be allowed unless in rare circumstances and should be regularly tested




Then the children should be seized by social services and forcibly vaccinated



To increase participation in the electoral system





Why ?

No-one would force anyone to vote, merely attend a voting station on election day.

Mandatory voting is forcing one to vote

 

[Individual]

Voting is a Right, Rights are exercised, without the force of government, or not by the choice of the individual.

 

[Individual]

One question, if "None of the Above" was selected by the majority of voters in enough States to acquire a majority of the Electoral votes, would a new election have to occur or would the Executive office of the Federal government be filled per the 25th amendment?

 

[jotathought]

What are the pros and cons on making voting compulsory ?


Pros:

1. It makes people take an interest in their democracy
2. It gives greater legitimacy to the government
3. It makes politicians appeal to a broader spectrum of people


People wouldn't have to pick a candidate, all ballot papers would have to have a "none o the above" option or a simple abstention box to check.
The consequences of not voting would be a fine. Automatically added to your tax bill or deducted from you welfare check


Cons:

1. A higher turn out would probably mean voting stations would need to stay open longer
2. A secure postal system of voting would be required for all elections to allow those who can't travel to vote



States would be mandated to register all eligible voters
Eligible voters = all citizens and LEGAL residents over the age of 18.

A last thought, if you object to mandatory voting, do you also object to mandatory participation in the jury system ?

Why would we force people to vote? Why should U.S. citizens have the right to determine whether they want to participate or not? Would compulsion be a slippery slope for other rights (e.g. make everyone own a firearm)? How would compulsory voting turn low-information voters into well-informed constituents? Is John Doe going to do his homework because he's required to vote?

Participation in the jury system isn't completely mandatory, as you can request to be excused from service (e.g. medical inability, military service, elderly, caring for minors, occupations where a replacement cannot be reasonably obtained, financial hardship, emergency service participant, etc.)

 

[Drawdown]

What are the pros and cons on making voting compulsory ?


Pros:

1. It makes people take an interest in their democracy
2. It gives greater legitimacy to the government
3. It makes politicians appeal to a broader spectrum of people


People wouldn't have to pick a candidate, all ballot papers would have to have a "none o the above" option or a simple abstention box to check.
The consequences of not voting would be a fine. Automatically added to your tax bill or deducted from you welfare check


Cons:

1. A higher turn out would probably mean voting stations would need to stay open longer
2. A secure postal system of voting would be required for all elections to allow those who can't travel to vote



States would be mandated to register all eligible voters
Eligible voters = all citizens and LEGAL residents over the age of 18.

A last thought, if you object to mandatory voting, do you also object to mandatory participation in the jury system ?

That would go about as well as the mandatory masks half the folks aren't wearing in stores.

 

[Bodi]

People wouldn't have to pick a candidate, all ballot papers would have to have a "none o the above" option or a simple abstention box to check.

Then what is the point of forcing people to vote in the first place?

 

[Rich2018]

That depends on what is backing the compulsion.

What compulsion, don't you mean a lack of compulsion ?

Actually how about no . Im keepin it. How about fixing the ****ing problems and make Americans feel more like the matter? How about forbidding political parties from drawing districts? How about removing legalized bribery? Before you say “well the police will drag you off” Americans are going ACAB

Yes, I'm all for making Americans feel like they matter and IMO, mandatory voting will achieve this

What alternative do you have for drawing political districts ?

I support the fight against corruption of any kind.

Mandatory voting is forcing one to vote

No it actually doesn't
It forces people to attend a voting station on election day

For disabled voters who cannot attend, it forces them to participate in the process, not actually make a selection - as described.

 

[Rich2018]

Voting is a Right, Rights are exercised, without the force of government, or not by the choice of the individual.

This would change a right into a duty.

Like jury service - you have a right to a trial by jury, as a citizen, you have a duty to participate in the jury system.

 

[Rich2018]

One question, if "None of the Above" was selected by the majority of voters in enough States to acquire a majority of the Electoral votes, would a new election have to occur or would the Executive office of the Federal government be filled per the 25th amendment?

Good point

That actually was the case in the old, one party system, of the USSR


I would say yes (though I'm not sure it would be a common occurrence).

 

[jimbo]

No republican would ever get elected again.


There's more democrats than republicans.

31% of Americans identified as Democrats, 30% identified as Republican, and 36% as Independent

Well, maybe in some areas republicans would win an election or two.

So 1% more D's than R's.

And 36% independents, which generally means "I can be persuaded". Why would that mean no Republican would ever win again?

 

[Rich2018]

Why would we force people to vote?

To increase citizen participation in government

To increase the legitimacy of said government

Why should U.S. citizens have the right to determine whether they want to participate or not?

In order to make the US government more legitimate

The same argument can be used for jury service, would it be healthy for the legal system if jury service was just voluntary and we had all trials "juried" by the same minority of volunteers ?
I don't think it would be

Would compulsion be a slippery slope for other rights (e.g. make everyone own a firearm)?

No
Though the city of Kennesaw, Georgia have tried exactly that

How would compulsory voting turn low-information voters into well-informed constituents? Is John Doe going to do his homework because he's required to vote?

Not particularly
But your average voter is not exactly "well informed" today - do you remember in 2016, a Republican voter saying she votred for Trump because "god told her to" ?

I think enforced participation would raise political awareness and that has to be a good thing

Participation in the jury system isn't completely mandatory, as you can request to be excused from service (e.g. medical inability, military service, elderly, caring for minors, occupations where a replacement cannot be reasonably obtained, financial hardship, emergency service participant, etc.)

So what ?

Jury service takes up way more time that attending a voting station, or completing a form

And you're wrong, it actually takes more effort to get a jury exemption than it would do to simply participate in the voting system.

 

[Rich2018]

That would go about as well as the mandatory masks half the folks aren't wearing in stores.

With who...exactly ?

 

[Rich2018]

Then what is the point of forcing people to vote in the first place?

To increase participation

To add legitimacy to the government.

 

[jimbo]

Where is the "punishment"

Getting people to do what they should be doing


We should also punish parents if they don't send their children to school.

I don't think the government should make people do things except for a very few that impact others. (Murder, rape, steal).

Citizens who had no interest in government before the mandate are not suddenly going to develop an interest after.

Also, you speak of making them get out? They'ed just vote by mail. And still wouldn't care.

 

[Individual]

This would change a right into a duty.

Like jury service - you have a right to a trial by jury, as a citizen, you have a duty to participate in the jury system.

The accused has a right to a trial by jury.
The simple solution, knowing the voting age population, just subtract the total number of votes cast from the total of voting age persons and consider that to be the "none of the above" votes cast. Those who don't wish to be counted as "none of the above" would then have to actually cast a vote, or accept being counted as the default "none of the above".

The current system works well enough. If I would change anything at all, I would eliminate the Electoral College and total each States EV count for the candidate receiving the most votes.

 

[Rich2018]

I don't think the government should make people do things except for a very few that impact others. (Murder, rape, steal).

Or participate in the jury process ?
Or complete a Census form ? (that takes a lot more time than filling out a vote by mail)
Or pay income tax ?
Or attend school (or home schooling) ?
Or register for military service ?
Or enlist for service under the draft ?

Citizens who had no interest in government before the mandate are not suddenly going to develop an interest after.

Where is your evidence for this ?
Have you studied the experience of other countries that have tried mandatory voting ?

Also, you speak of making them get out? They'ed just vote by mail. And still wouldn't care.

Voting by mail if granted an exemption to do so - like disability, military service etc

 

[Rich2018]

The accused has a right to a trial by jury.

And a citizen has a right to vote

The simple solution, knowing the voting age population, just subtract the total number of votes cast from the total of voting age persons and consider that to be the "none of the above" votes cast.

So a citizen who fails to shown up for jury service should be registered as a "not guilty" verdict ?

The current system works well enough.

Do you know what electoral turnout isd ?
I suspect you don't

What is your criteria for "well enough" is this context ?

If I would change anything at all, I would eliminate the Electoral College and total each States EV count for the candidate receiving the most votes.

Yes, that should be scrapped.

 

[jimbo]

And a citizen has a right to vote




So a citizen who fails to shown up for jury service should be registered as a "not guilty" verdict ?





Do you know what electoral turnout isd ?
I suspect you don't

What is your criteria for "well enough" is this context ?




Yes, that should be scrapped.

He has a right, but not an obligation. You want to turn that right into an obligation.

 

[justabubba]

i would rather not have people voting who are so disinterested in politics that they opt not to participate in the voting
why insist people who are willfully ignorant of politics, political players, and political issues cast ballots affecting such matters
their collective votes for the top name on the ballot could move against the other votes cast on the merits of the candidates
i would prefer not to have politicians elected only because of the alphabetic order of their names

i believe your next thread should be about requiring people to have fun, because you would rather people have fun even if they personally choose not to do so
the same 'logic' as is found in this thread starter applies

 

[Bodi]

To increase participation

To add legitimacy to the government.

I think that you are missing the point... if they are being forced to stand in a line only to put in a no vote they are not participating in anything other than being forced to stand in a line for no reason... in fact, they would probably start resenting it and become Pinko Commies...

 

[Bodi]

i would rather not have people voting who are so disinterested in politics that they opt not to participate in the voting
why insist people who are willfully ignorant of politics, political players, and political issues cast ballots affecting such matters
their collective votes for the top name on the ballot could move against the other votes cast on the merits of the candidates
i would prefer not to have politicians elected only because of the alphabetic order of their names

Yep. A Basic Knowledge Test should be given to those that WANT to vote instead...

 

[soylentgreen]

What are the pros and cons on making voting compulsory ?


Pros:

1. It makes people take an interest in their democracy
2. It gives greater legitimacy to the government
3. It makes politicians appeal to a broader spectrum of people


People wouldn't have to pick a candidate, all ballot papers would have to have a "none o the above" option or a simple abstention box to check.
The consequences of not voting would be a fine. Automatically added to your tax bill or deducted from you welfare check


Cons:

1. A higher turn out would probably mean voting stations would need to stay open longer
2. A secure postal system of voting would be required for all elections to allow those who can't travel to vote



States would be mandated to register all eligible voters
Eligible voters = all citizens and LEGAL residents over the age of 18.

A last thought, if you object to mandatory voting, do you also object to mandatory participation in the jury system ?

You left out what would probably be the most important aspect of compulsory voting.

That would be that the politicians themselves would have to start taking notice of what all the people are saying instead of concentrating their efforts on the smaller minority groups that they already know will vote.
As it stands now politicians can ignore some parts of society such as the poor because they know that by making it hard for them to vote in the first place will mean that what the poor want will not effect their election to office.

But if politicians knew that people were being told they must vote then they would need pay attention to those voters needs.