Sould voting be compulsary?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It should be up to the Government and the Parties to educate people.

O/c you can never make sure that people will vote, but you can make it an offense not to turn up at the polling station.

[opebo]

No, not compulsory, but it should be conditional for any sort of government services such as a driver's license, police protection, citizenship, etc.

One should be allowed of course to vote 'none of the above'.

[minionofmidas]

Compulsory voting certainly does work where it exists.

[John Dibble]

No, not compulsory, but it should be conditional for any sort of government services such as a driver's license, police protection, citizenship, etc.

If that's the case they shouldn't have to pay taxes either.

[MaC]

no because it's almost always a choice between a giant douche and a turd sandwich

[Redefeatbush04]

Howdy!

Puh. I don't even believe you're from Wyoming.

I enjoy doing the fake cowboy stereotype out of fun. This is not how I talk, thank God.

Cowboy - Didn't I warn you about THAT one (A18) 

[beowulf]

If one doesn't care enough to vote, then that person shouldn't have any say in elections.  When a citizen is ready to vote, he or she will get out to the polls.

[Hitchabrut]

No

[Redefeatbush04]

In Australia (and Singapore, where ballots have serial numbers on them) it is. Should it be in the US?

I am strangely comfortable with the idea. The average american would at least know more about the political system. But I don't think the general public would tolerate a liberty-infringing idea like this.

[TheWildCard]

HELL NO!

There are people who just don't want to vote and probably should not be voting if they don't know anything about politics.

[Richard]

I'd perhaps support it if every ballot had an Abstain on it.

[Ebowed]

I'd perhaps support it if every ballot had an Abstain on it.

What would we do if Abstain won?

[jokerman]

No

I don't quite understand while someone would propose that idea.  It seems strange and contradictory to itself, really.

[Platypus]

voting isn't just a right, it's a responsibility. Yes.

[patrick1]

voting isn't just a right, it's a responsibility. Yes.

Voting should be for those responsible^ enough to exercise their right.

[dazzleman]

voting isn't just a right, it's a responsibility. Yes.

Voting should be for those responsible^ enough to exercise their right.

I agree.  There's nothing to be gained by attempting to force disinterested and uninformed people to vote.  We're better off without their participation.  Ideally, we'd be better off if they were interested, informed and responsible, but mandating voting won't make that happen, and we'll be stuck living with the results of their uninformed choices.

[opebo]

I don't quite understand while someone would propose that idea.  It seems strange and contradictory to itself, really.

Because it would help Democrats.

There's nothing to be gained by attempting to force disinterested and uninformed people to vote.  We're better off without their participation. 

Well, of course your side is better off!

Besides, I'll accept the 'disinterested' comment, but it seems a bit of a stretch to say that non-participation automatically means you're uninformed.  In fact some would say to be truly informed about the 'democratic' system would cause one to eschew all participation.

[phk]

I have never voted in my life and don't plan on doing so either.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Hell no.

[Frodo]

absolutely not -i'd rather have at least a few moderately informed voters at the polling booth of their own volition, rather than having a huge crowd of completely uninformed idiots deciding who our leaders ought to be at the end of a gun, so to speak. 

thanks, but no thanks.  i'll stick with the voting rates we have for now.   

[dazzleman]

I have never voted in my life and don't plan on doing so either.

I think that's a good thing for society.  You're exhibit one on why voting should not be mandatory.

[A18]

He's exhibit one of why we need a poll tax of a few hundred thousand dollars, and a property requirement of 500 acres.

[Frodo]

He's exhibit one of why we need a poll tax of a few hundred thousand dollars, and a property requirement of 500 acres.

you are hilarious. 

[dazzleman]

He's exhibit one of why we need a poll tax of a few hundred thousand dollars, and a property requirement of 500 acres.

500 acres?  Nobody I know would be able to vote with that requirement.

[opebo]

He's exhibit one of why we need a poll tax of a few hundred thousand dollars, and a property requirement of 500 acres.

500 acres?  Nobody I know would be able to vote with that requirement.

Rule by Rubes.