Should we hold elections on Saturdays rather than Tuesdays?
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  Political Debate (Moderator: Torie)
  Should we hold elections on Saturdays rather than Tuesdays?
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Poll
Question: Should we hold elections on Saturdays rather than Tuesdays?
#1
Yes (Freedom Idea!)
 
#2
No (Horrible Idea!)
 
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Total Voters: 62

Author Topic: Should we hold elections on Saturdays rather than Tuesdays?  (Read 2024 times)
Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #25 on: January 11, 2014, 02:49:51 PM »

All day Saturday, then up until... say... er... some time in the early afternoon on Sunday.
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Sol
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« Reply #26 on: January 11, 2014, 03:14:57 PM »

Yes, although more preferable would be to make voting obligatory.
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tmthforu94
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« Reply #27 on: January 12, 2014, 10:50:06 PM »

I'm skeptical - people like to spend the weekends with their family, not standing in line at a voting booth.

If anything, I would prefer that we had two days of voting instead of one.
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Deus Naturae
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« Reply #28 on: January 12, 2014, 10:55:58 PM »

Yes, although more preferable would be to make voting obligatory.
Under your preferred system, what would be the hypothetical consequence of choosing not to vote?

Anyway, yeah, we probably should.
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ElectionsGuy
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« Reply #29 on: January 12, 2014, 10:56:34 PM »

Yes, although more preferable would be to make voting obligatory.

Why do we want uninformed people deciding who the politicians are?
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True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)
Ernest
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« Reply #30 on: January 12, 2014, 11:19:44 PM »

Yes, although more preferable would be to make voting obligatory.

Why do we want uninformed people deciding who the politicians are?

Isn't that what we have now? Grin
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Sol
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« Reply #31 on: January 14, 2014, 11:55:04 AM »

Yes, although more preferable would be to make voting obligatory.
Under your preferred system, what would be the hypothetical consequence of choosing not to vote?

Anyway, yeah, we probably should.
Someone else mentioned a None of these candidates option, which I think is reasonable.

Otherwise, not voting at all would get ya a fine- I believe Australia does it this way.
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« Reply #32 on: January 14, 2014, 12:41:10 PM »

The best solution is to have the polls open at midnight. Or even be open 24 hours (not midnight to midnight though more like 8pm previous night to 8pm)
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Sec. of State Superique
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« Reply #33 on: January 15, 2014, 07:37:24 AM »

Yes, although more preferable would be to make voting obligatory.

This and the Saturday thing. That is what happens in Brazil and you have the option to vote on None of the Above.
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Cory
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« Reply #34 on: January 15, 2014, 09:02:00 AM »

Just make election day a national holiday and be done with it. Not everyone has no work on Saturday.
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Del Tachi
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« Reply #35 on: January 16, 2014, 05:21:05 PM »

Weekends are a bad idea because it would require that certain state employees who work with elections would have to be compensated for an extra day of work. 

Early voting is lax enough in most states that no one really has the inability to vote due to lack of time. 
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Oldiesfreak1854
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« Reply #36 on: January 16, 2014, 05:39:21 PM »

No, because then I can't vote until after sunset (nor would many orthodox Jews).  Tuesdays may not be the best days, but I can't think of any day that would necessarily be better.  If I knew ahead of time that I couldn't vote on Election Day, then I'd just request an absentee ballot.
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Indy Texas
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« Reply #37 on: January 17, 2014, 12:43:35 AM »

No, because then I can't vote until after sunset (nor would many orthodox Jews).  Tuesdays may not be the best days, but I can't think of any day that would necessarily be better.  If I knew ahead of time that I couldn't vote on Election Day, then I'd just request an absentee ballot.

Well most polling places are open until 7 or 8pm, which is after sunset. And again, you're talking about a problem that only affects maybe 1% of the population or less.
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BRTD
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« Reply #38 on: January 17, 2014, 01:29:00 AM »

No, because then I can't vote until after sunset (nor would many orthodox Jews).  Tuesdays may not be the best days, but I can't think of any day that would necessarily be better.  If I knew ahead of time that I couldn't vote on Election Day, then I'd just request an absentee ballot.

You just said in your last sentence how to avoid the issue of the first sentence.
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Oldiesfreak1854
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« Reply #39 on: January 17, 2014, 09:17:47 AM »

No, because then I can't vote until after sunset (nor would many orthodox Jews).  Tuesdays may not be the best days, but I can't think of any day that would necessarily be better.  If I knew ahead of time that I couldn't vote on Election Day, then I'd just request an absentee ballot.

You just said in your last sentence how to avoid the issue of the first sentence.

Well most polling places are open until 7 or 8pm, which is after sunset. And again, you're talking about a problem that only affects maybe 1% of the population or less.
True, but my state holds primaries in August, when sunset often isn't until 9PM or later, after the polls close.  I kind of agree with Del Tachi on this one:
Weekends are a bad idea because it would require that certain state employees who work with elections would have to be compensated for an extra day of work. 

Early voting is lax enough in most states that no one really has the inability to vote due to lack of time. 
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muon2
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« Reply #40 on: January 17, 2014, 01:22:21 PM »

Early voting tends to shift absentee and regular voters to the other available days. It doesn't have a big effect on turnout. Changing the election day probably would be no different than early voting in terms of turnout.

I'm a little nervous about taking a fundamental right and requiring its exercise. I have a right to petition the government, but I wouldn't want to require everyone to exercise it. I have a right to bear arms, but I wouldn't require everyone to exercise it. The right to vote is a privilege, and part of that privilege is my right to not vote if I so desire.
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Marokai Backbeat
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« Reply #41 on: January 17, 2014, 01:29:01 PM »

As has been floated in this thread already, I would just prefer compulsory voting. Failing that, we should obviously make participating in elections as easy as possible, which is oddly opposed by significant portions of people. Make of that what you will, I suppose.
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #42 on: January 17, 2014, 01:48:17 PM »

^^^

In general it should be made almost absurdly easy. I like some of the things they do in Australia; special polling booths in city centres and so on.
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muon2
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« Reply #43 on: January 17, 2014, 02:29:41 PM »

^^^

In general it should be made almost absurdly easy. I like some of the things they do in Australia; special polling booths in city centres and so on.

The old adage that you can lead a horse to water, but not make it drink is applicable. Even easy access booths often don't cause casual voters to stop their daily plans and cast a ballot. Part of it is a culture of belief that the vote doesn't really count much, so why bother. What is needed is a sense of responsibility to the democratic system, so that voters put a priority on making time to vote.
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Atlas Has Shrugged
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« Reply #44 on: January 17, 2014, 04:15:15 PM »

I'd declare Election Day a holiday and close all schools, and non essential services. It would work better plus it would allow people to enjoy their weekend without having to go and vote.
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Indy Texas
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« Reply #45 on: January 17, 2014, 08:37:17 PM »

As has been floated in this thread already, I would just prefer compulsory voting. Failing that, we should obviously make participating in elections as easy as possible, which is oddly opposed by significant portions of people. Make of that what you will, I suppose.

How would compulsory voting work? Would people literally just have to pick one of the candidates?

If there was a Nevada-style "None of these" option, what would you do if "None of these" came in first place?
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Deus Naturae
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« Reply #46 on: January 17, 2014, 08:55:47 PM »

As has been floated in this thread already, I would just prefer compulsory voting. Failing that, we should obviously make participating in elections as easy as possible, which is oddly opposed by significant portions of people. Make of that what you will, I suppose.

How would compulsory voting work? Would people literally just have to pick one of the candidates?

If there was a Nevada-style "None of these" option, what would you do if "None of these" came in first place?
Hold a new election and prohibit any of the previous contestants from entering?
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morgieb
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« Reply #47 on: January 18, 2014, 12:44:46 AM »

As has been floated in this thread already, I would just prefer compulsory voting. Failing that, we should obviously make participating in elections as easy as possible, which is oddly opposed by significant portions of people. Make of that what you will, I suppose.

How would compulsory voting work? Would people literally just have to pick one of the candidates?

If there was a Nevada-style "None of these" option, what would you do if "None of these" came in first place?
In Australia, it's required to turn up to the voting booth. However there is nothing stopping you spoiling or not filling in your ballot.
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greenforest32
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« Reply #48 on: January 18, 2014, 03:35:54 AM »

Of course. Registration should be automatic including ex-felons at the least.

(Off-topic but I don't remember having so many formatting options in the comment box before; float, shadow, glow? Is it just me or are these new? Fascinating.)
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True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)
Ernest
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« Reply #49 on: January 18, 2014, 03:47:54 AM »

Of course. Registration should be automatic including ex-felons at the least.

(Off-topic but I don't remember having so many formatting options in the comment box before; float, shadow, glow? Is it just me or are these new? Fascinating.)

Just you.
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