Should the US have mandatory voting?

[muon2]

I'd be in favor of mandatory voting. Making it easier is also important, of course, and a more pressing concern. I think it would be reasonable to have two-day elections with voting on both Saturday and Sunday, e.g., and automatic voter registration based on a combined database of tax returns, driver's licenses, Social Security numbers, draft registration, etc. Mail-in ballots are good, too, but I'm not a fan of all-mail voting due to the confidentiality concerns.

But the moment you try to link up those databases for election purposes you will create a significant security and confidentiality issue. Then there is the deeper issue that people can choose not to exercise their rights. What makes voting different than other basic rights that a citizen would lose the ability to decline that right?

[muon2]

There should be a tax credit for voting and a tax penalty for not voting IMO

How would that be different than a poll tax, the kind used in the Jim Crow South, except in reverse.

[muon2]

Make Election Day a public holiday, or move it to the weekend.

This, plus keep it non-compulsory.

I agree with keeping it non-compulsory, but move it to Saturday - We do elections just fine on a Saturday, and the polling stations are open from 8-6, so plenty of opportunity to vote.

For states with early voting like IL this already exists. Election day becomes merely the last day to cast a ballot. Moving the day probably wouldn't change anything for us.

[muon2]

Make Election Day a public holiday, or move it to the weekend.

This, plus keep it non-compulsory.

I agree with keeping it non-compulsory, but move it to Saturday - We do elections just fine on a Saturday, and the polling stations are open from 8-6, so plenty of opportunity to vote.

For states with early voting like IL this already exists. Election day becomes merely the last day to cast a ballot. Moving the day probably wouldn't change anything for us.

Are all the polling stations open early though? In my state, the early vote locations cover many precincts. My early vote location is a half hour away, whereas my normal polling location is 5 min away. I was excited when we passed early voting, but when I realized this dynamic, it's actually much more convenient for me to just vote on election day. It would be even more convenient if it wasn't a work day.

Of course I would vote even if I had to do it at 3 AM and an hour away, but for the average voter I think the extra convenience matters a lot. That's why I would like to see voting expanded to multiple days (with all stations opened) and liberal use of absentee voting if desired.

It's not cost effective to have every precinct open for the whole early voting period. In fact, for primaries in IL only select polling places are open on election day and they serve as the polling place  for multiple precincts. The same can be true in general elections, and the local election authority (usually the county clerk) determines where to have open locations based on anticipated turnout. The minimum number of early voting locations for each local authority is established by law.