Talk Elections

General Politics => Political Debate => Topic started by: Bo on July 21, 2010, 11:30:12 PM



Title: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Bo on July 21, 2010, 11:30:12 PM
Yes. That way people won't be able to complain about what their govt. does. And Australia and some other countries actually have compulsory voting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsory_voting


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: CatoMinor on July 21, 2010, 11:32:37 PM
Yes. That way people won't be able to complain about what their govt. does. And Australia and some other countries actually have compulsory voting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsory_voting
Since when is being able to criticize your government a bad thing?


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Vepres on July 21, 2010, 11:33:16 PM
I don't want people who don't give a damn about who holds what office to vote.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl on July 21, 2010, 11:37:58 PM
HELL NO!


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Free Palestine on July 21, 2010, 11:58:34 PM
No.  Most of the people who do not vote choose not to, either because the options don't suit them, or because they can't make it on election day, or they just don't give a sh-t, or because they're just retarded.  In the case of college kids, a combination of the last two.  The right to vote includes the right not to vote.

Taking steps to eliminate voter apathy would be a much better solution.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Barnes on July 22, 2010, 12:28:21 AM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl on July 22, 2010, 12:34:26 AM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Why should people be forced to wreck an entire day of their lives to take part in a meaningless exercise in futility? Life is too short to waste it waiting on line at the polling place.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Barnes on July 22, 2010, 12:36:59 AM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Why should people be forced to wreck an entire day of their lives to take part in a meaningless exercise in futility? Life is too short to waste it waiting on line at the polling place.

That's possible the most ridiculous argument against voting I've ever heard in my life. Please, Libertas, you can do better then that.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl on July 22, 2010, 12:42:15 AM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Why should people be forced to wreck an entire day of their lives to take part in a meaningless exercise in futility? Life is too short to waste it waiting on line at the polling place.

That's possible the most ridiculous argument against voting I've ever heard in my life. Please, Libertas, you can do better then that.

Um, you've never voted, or you'd know exactly what I'm talking about.

If it weren't for absentee balloting, I wouldn't have even voted in 2008.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Barnes on July 22, 2010, 12:54:38 AM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Why should people be forced to wreck an entire day of their lives to take part in a meaningless exercise in futility? Life is too short to waste it waiting on line at the polling place.

That's possible the most ridiculous argument against voting I've ever heard in my life. Please, Libertas, you can do better then that.

Um, you've never voted, or you'd know exactly what I'm talking about.

If it weren't for absentee balloting, I wouldn't have even voted in 2008.

Actually, I've been to a voting precinct on election day several times. I've also voted three times via absentee ballot. Granted, those were all assisting other members of my family.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl on July 22, 2010, 12:57:58 AM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Why should people be forced to wreck an entire day of their lives to take part in a meaningless exercise in futility? Life is too short to waste it waiting on line at the polling place.

That's possible the most ridiculous argument against voting I've ever heard in my life. Please, Libertas, you can do better then that.

Um, you've never voted, or you'd know exactly what I'm talking about.

If it weren't for absentee balloting, I wouldn't have even voted in 2008.

Actually, I've been to a voting precinct on election day several times. I've also voted three times via absentee ballot. Granted, those were all assisting other members of my family.

Finding time on a school/work day to go stand in line to take part in something that's essentially meaningless is not really conducive to most people's lives.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: SPC on July 22, 2010, 01:06:28 AM
Rather than forcing people to vote, how about the partisan duopoly doesn't offer sh**tty candidates that discourage voter turnout?


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Free Palestine on July 22, 2010, 01:07:23 AM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place.

What exactly is the point in that?  How is being forced to show up at the polling place any different from being forced to vote?  That's just absurd.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Barnes on July 22, 2010, 01:21:42 AM
I'm not going to respond any further in this thread seeing as I'll get the same recycled "answers". 


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl on July 22, 2010, 01:25:43 AM
I'm not going to respond any further in this thread seeing as I'll get the same recycled "answers". 

Well you never successfully refuted my answer in the first place....

As Morgan said, the idea of forcing people to show up at a polling place is utterly pointless.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: doktorb on July 22, 2010, 03:11:08 AM
There is far more merit in dealing with the issues and causes of low turnout than forcing people to vote regardless. It does nothing. The political discourse in Australia and Belgium is no more or less deep, wide, advanced or mature because of compulsory voting.

"Hammer to walnut interfacing" is no fix to the democractic deficit in western countries.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: minionofmidas on July 22, 2010, 04:27:06 AM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Why should people be forced to wreck an entire day of their lives to take part in a meaningless exercise in futility?
Only in fascist hellholes does voting take more than a couple of minutes.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl on July 22, 2010, 04:32:37 AM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Why should people be forced to wreck an entire day of their lives to take part in a meaningless exercise in futility?
Only in fascist hellholes does voting take more than a couple of minutes.

Maybe if you live next door to the polling place, there's no line to vote, no problems with your registration, and you have no job/school to be at. But it can be a serious inconvenience for most people.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: minionofmidas on July 22, 2010, 04:45:22 AM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Why should people be forced to wreck an entire day of their lives to take part in a meaningless exercise in futility?
Only in fascist hellholes does voting take more than a couple of minutes.

Maybe if you live next door to the polling place, there's no line to vote, no problems with your registration, and you have no job/school to be at. But it can be a serious inconvenience for most people.
In this country, I've never seen anybody wait more than ten minutes, and waiting at all is rare except for an hour after lunch. It's all a question of how you organize your elections. Letting people vote on all sorts of offices that have no reason to be elective is obviously going to slow voting down, not having enough polling places is obviously going to slow voting down, using machines instead of paper is obviously going to slow voting down, holding elections on days when most people have to work is obviously creating inconvenience just for the sake of inconvenience. Doing all of the above is... just... well, it does make you wonder sometimes whether the purpose is to abolish elections by the backdoor.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Associate Justice PiT on July 22, 2010, 05:03:44 AM
     There is no conceivable reason why somebody should be forced to show up to cast a blank ballot & no good reason why somebody who knows nothing about politics & couldn't care less about the political process should be forced to show up at all.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Antonio the Sixth on July 22, 2010, 05:31:50 AM
Yes. It's shameful to see people abdicating their power to decide for their country's destiny.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Franzl on July 22, 2010, 05:52:52 AM
Yes. It's shameful to see people abdicating their power to decide for their country's destiny.

so naturally your answer is to make People do what YOU think they should....wonderful.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: doktorb on July 22, 2010, 06:05:03 AM
Yes. It's shameful to see people abdicating their power to decide for their country's destiny.

so naturally your answer is to make People do what YOU think they should....wonderful.

I want more people to take part in elections. I don't want to FORCE them.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: minionofmidas on July 22, 2010, 06:06:15 AM
It is shameful to see *cough* certain types of political persuasion banking on low turnout from people unlikely to vote for *them*.



Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Antonio the Sixth on July 22, 2010, 06:08:11 AM
Yes. It's shameful to see people abdicating their power to decide for their country's destiny.

so naturally your answer is to make People do what YOU think they should....wonderful.

Yes, I think voting is a duty when you have the chance to live in a country with universal suffrage.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Franzl on July 22, 2010, 07:32:26 AM
Yes. It's shameful to see people abdicating their power to decide for their country's destiny.

so naturally your answer is to make People do what YOU think they should....wonderful.

Yes, I think voting is a duty when you have the chance to live in a country with universal suffrage.

But why? Do you want voters to make uninformed decisions. Having a right means you should be able to refuse to use it....just as Freedom of religion must also be Freedom FROM religion if desired.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: minionofmidas on July 22, 2010, 07:35:12 AM
But why? Do you want voters to make uninformed decisions.
Because they don't do so now? ???
Quote
Having a right means you should be able to refuse to use it....just as Freedom of religion must also be Freedom FROM religion if desired.
Nobody is intending to take away the right to cast an invalid ballot. The debate is merely about putting the same opportunity cost on all legitimate choices. Try again.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Franzl on July 22, 2010, 07:39:14 AM
Why on Earth should you force someone to go to a polling place that has no interest in doing so?

I understand You're upset about the low turnout leading to the Socialists losing last year, but you need  to give voters a REASON to feel motivated to vote for you....and Not just hope they'll do so by forcing them to do something they don't want to do.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Grumpier Than Uncle Joe on July 22, 2010, 07:54:23 AM
Yes. That way people won't be able to complain about what their govt. does. And Australia and some other countries actually have compulsory voting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsory_voting

They won't?  LOL.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: John Dibble on July 22, 2010, 08:13:43 AM
No. It would do more harm than good. If someone isn't interested enough to vote in the first place, then they are most likely not educated on the candidates and the issues. People who vote just because they are forced to would either just vote on party lines, at random, or just based on some stupid rumor they heard from their neighbor or something. Nothing would be improved by this, so why waste people's time?


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: minionofmidas on July 22, 2010, 08:48:01 AM
I understand You're upset about the low turnout leading to the Socialists losing last year, but you need  to give voters a REASON to feel motivated to vote for you.
Oh, quite. Been saying that for ages. "At least we're not the CDU" just doesn't cut it if the SPD wants to be successful again.

Why on Earth should you force someone to go to a polling place that has no interest in doing so?
To even out opportunity costs and thus give some validity to your comparison with freedom of religion, mostly. :P

No. It would do more harm than good. If someone isn't interested enough to vote in the first place, then they are most likely not educated on the candidates and the issues. People who vote just because they are forced to would either just vote on party lines, at random, or just based on some stupid rumor they heard from their neighbor or something. Nothing would be improved by this, so why waste people's time?
Lots of people who do vote to the exact same thing, so, again, hardly a valid argument. :P Always have, too. Now that is certainly something people have a right to do.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Filuwaúrdjan on July 22, 2010, 10:39:35 AM
As I wrote on tuther thread...

I've become increasingly convinced that the main issue wrt electoral reform is compulsory voting; everything else isn't all that far from window dressing.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Filuwaúrdjan on July 22, 2010, 10:46:40 AM
It is shameful to see *cough* certain types of political persuasion banking on low turnout from people unlikely to vote for *them*.

There was some hilarious whining along those lines from Tory local government types earlier this year because the General Election being on the same day as the locals meant that more proles voted in the latter than has become normal.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Mercenary on July 22, 2010, 11:31:15 AM
That makes no sense. If anything it is not voting that you have no right to complain since you did nothing to change things. If I vote X and Y wins, I have the right to complain. Or if X wins and does the exact opposite of what he said, I have the right to complain about them being a lying scumbag.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Saxwsylvania on July 22, 2010, 11:44:28 AM

No. It would do more harm than good. If someone isn't interested enough to vote in the first place, then they are most likely not educated on the candidates and the issues. People who vote just because they are forced to would either just vote on party lines, at random, or just based on some stupid rumor they heard from their neighbor or something. Nothing would be improved by this, so why waste people's time?
Lots of people who do vote to the exact same thing, so, again, hardly a valid argument. :P Always have, too. Now that is certainly something people have a right to do.

So your solution to uninformed people voting is to force more uninformed people to vote?  Also, it's interesting that you think that uninformed people have a 'right' to mark down random sh**t on the ballot, but these same people don't have the right to stay at home.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Earth on July 22, 2010, 11:46:51 AM
That makes no sense. If anything it is not voting that you have no right to complain since you did nothing to change things. If I vote X and Y wins, I have the right to complain. Or if X wins and does the exact opposite of what he said, I have the right to complain about them being a lying scumbag.

What a stupid argument. Newsflash, folks; we never lose the oppertunity to complain, regardless of voting.

If anything, you vote for candidate x, they win, then you keep your mouth shut, since you voted him into office. Even this is a bit too much to swallow, but certainly holds more weight than "na na na, I voted so only I can speak up."

Compulsory voting can f*ck off back to the myopic, and retarded mind from where it was born.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl on July 22, 2010, 11:59:50 AM
That makes no sense. If anything it is not voting that you have no right to complain since you did nothing to change things. If I vote X and Y wins, I have the right to complain. Or if X wins and does the exact opposite of what he said, I have the right to complain about them being a lying scumbag.

So if one is against the system, he has no right to voice his opinions unless he wastes time voting in the system's own sham elections?

Makes sense.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Free Palestine on July 22, 2010, 01:01:52 PM
How about instead of forcing people to vote, we work towards informing potential voters, encouraging them to vote, and making voting more convenient?  For example, move election day to a weekend or make it a holiday, and have state and/or local governments distribute voter information guides to everyone.  Part of the problem is that sometimes people don't know there's an election, in the case of primaries, midterms, and local elections.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Mechaman on July 22, 2010, 01:19:06 PM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Come on Barnes!
It is kind of hypocritical to force people to show up to vote in supposedly "free" and "democratic" elections.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: phk on July 22, 2010, 02:16:08 PM
I feel a lot of people may cancel their voter registration if such a thing happened.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Barnes on July 22, 2010, 02:18:05 PM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Come on Barnes!
It is kind of hypocritical to force people to show up to vote in supposedly "free" and "democratic" elections.

Well like I said, you don't have to vote. But being a lazy-ass and complaining about the system and then complaining about the people elected, even when you didn't care enough to vote, is kind of hypocritical.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl on July 22, 2010, 02:26:12 PM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Come on Barnes!
It is kind of hypocritical to force people to show up to vote in supposedly "free" and "democratic" elections.

Well like I said, you don't have to vote. But being a lazy-ass and complaining about the system and then complaining about the people elected, even when you didn't care enough to vote, is kind of hypocritical.

Uh, how is it hypocritical if you don't like any of the choices being offerred?

"Dissolve the government" is not an option found on the ballot. ;)


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Barnes on July 22, 2010, 02:30:53 PM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Come on Barnes!
It is kind of hypocritical to force people to show up to vote in supposedly "free" and "democratic" elections.

Well like I said, you don't have to vote. But being a lazy-ass and complaining about the system and then complaining about the people elected, even when you didn't care enough to vote, is kind of hypocritical.

Uh, how is it hypocritical if you don't like any of the choices being offerred?

"Dissolve the government" is not an option found on the ballot. ;)

It's not hypocritical. That's why there should be some sort of "invalid" option. Then, people can at least see the number of people disgusted with the system. As it presently stands, you either vote or you stay at home. There is no real expression of dissatisfaction like you have, Libertas. ;)


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Mechaman on July 22, 2010, 02:33:04 PM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Come on Barnes!
It is kind of hypocritical to force people to show up to vote in supposedly "free" and "democratic" elections.

Well like I said, you don't have to vote. But being a lazy-ass and complaining about the system and then complaining about the people elected, even when you didn't care enough to vote, is kind of hypocritical.

Uh, how is it hypocritical if you don't like any of the choices being offerred?

"Dissolve the government" is not an option found on the ballot. ;)

It's not hypocritical. That's why there should be some sort of "invalid" option. Then, people can at least see the number of people disgusted with the system. As it presently stands, you either vote or you stay at home. There is no real expression of dissatisfaction like you have, Libertas. ;)

Well like I said, forcing people to show up to the polls in the first place seems kind of anti-democratic to me, even if they do get an out.
Just saying.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl on July 22, 2010, 02:36:21 PM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Come on Barnes!
It is kind of hypocritical to force people to show up to vote in supposedly "free" and "democratic" elections.

Well like I said, you don't have to vote. But being a lazy-ass and complaining about the system and then complaining about the people elected, even when you didn't care enough to vote, is kind of hypocritical.

Uh, how is it hypocritical if you don't like any of the choices being offerred?

"Dissolve the government" is not an option found on the ballot. ;)

It's not hypocritical. That's why there should be some sort of "invalid" option. Then, people can at least see the number of people disgusted with the system. As it presently stands, you either vote or you stay at home. There is no real expression of dissatisfaction like you have, Libertas. ;)

And what if people object to voting as a matter of principle? They don't have the right to complain about the results of voting?


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Free Palestine on July 22, 2010, 02:40:59 PM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Come on Barnes!
It is kind of hypocritical to force people to show up to vote in supposedly "free" and "democratic" elections.

Well like I said, you don't have to vote. But being a lazy-ass and complaining about the system and then complaining about the people elected, even when you didn't care enough to vote, is kind of hypocritical.

Well then, what's the POINT in forcing people to show up at the polling place, if they're not required to vote?


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: k-onmmunist on July 22, 2010, 03:18:13 PM
No and any 'liberal' who says it should be is a massive hypocrite.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Derek on July 22, 2010, 05:21:40 PM
I'd leave the country if voting were mandatory too. We have the right to vote just as we have the right not to vote. Put a gun to my head and tell me I have to vote, go ahead. All that would do is ensure the democrats the house, senate, and white house for life.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Edu on July 23, 2010, 03:40:01 AM
Nah, i think it shouldn't be mandatory.

And this is coming from a guy who lives in a country with mandatory voting and voted in every election since turning 18, but i have been tempted a few times to skip elections, especially if the candidates suck, something that is quite often here (the Buenos Aires Mayoral election runoff of 2007 is a good example of this).
I like to think that in a country with free elections i should also be free to decide if i want to use that right or not.

It's not like we have 100% turnout here anyway. In basically every election there's about 20% of the electorate who doesn't vote, the fine is like 5 cents so some people don't really care (i think the last time my dad voted was in 1995 and for Carlos Menem :P). Of course there are some bureaucratic disadvantages you might have, for instance if you lose your national identity document you will have a pretty tough time getting a new one (but it's all stuff like this, nothing really serious).
In fact considering how lax is the law and how generally crappy the candidates are I'm actually amazed that we have 80%+ of turnout ;D

Of course here there are certain issues that probably make keeping the vote mandatory an arguably good idea.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: minionofmidas on July 23, 2010, 04:05:58 AM
I feel a lot of people may cancel their voter registration if such a thing happened.
Well, non-automatic voter registration is certainly something that would go out of the window long before you'll actually introduce compulsory voting.

It's not like we have 100% turnout here anyway. In basically every election there's about 20% of the electorate who doesn't vote, the fine is like 5 cents so some people don't really care (...) In fact considering how lax is the law and how generally crappy the candidates are I'm actually amazed that we have 80%+ of turnout ;D
You wouldn't without nominally mandatory voting (or at least the tradition of it). Count on it.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Grumpier Than Uncle Joe on July 23, 2010, 12:01:16 PM
Derek, I'll buy the plane ticket if you go.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Edu on July 23, 2010, 02:06:24 PM
You wouldn't without nominally mandatory voting (or at least the tradition of it). Count on it.

Well, yeah, of course it would be a way lower turnout if it stops being mandatory. in the 2007 presidential election there was a turnout of 77% and 1.500.000 protest votes (either null or blank). I'm guessing a huge chunk of those would stay home and then you have to add a bunch of people who actually voted for someone but would surely stay home if they didn't have to vote.
Still, i found it funny that despite making virtually no problems for the person who skips the vote (and this is pretty much widely known) we still have between 75% and 80+% of turnout.

Having mandatory voting is interesting in times of economic crisis or great population rage, where elections give us some hilarious results.
Like for instance in the 2001 legislative elections (just 2 months before the collapse) there was a pretty big campaing where it was said that if you were going to vote you should make a protest vote. This was due to the anger people felt against president De La Rua. Blank or null votes made up nearly 25% of the votes (like 5 million people) and in some provinces the amount of null or blank votes was much greater than the number of votes of candidates who actually won the election :P
In the province of Santa fe for instance out of 1.700.000 votes, only 58% of those went to actual candidates, the other 42% was made up of blank and null protest votes. And in the City of Buenos Aires the number of null and blank votes doubled the number of votes that the winner party of the election got ;D


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: nclib on July 24, 2010, 08:28:51 PM
No, this would not be a good idea. That said, I really dislike the attitude that voting isn't worth the time and effort. Yes, one vote is unlikely to make a direct difference, but enough people having that attitude can (and sometimes does) affect the outcome of an election.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl on July 25, 2010, 03:59:32 AM
No, this was not be a good idea. That said, I really dislike the attitude that voting isn't worth the time and effort. Yes, one vote is unlikely to make a direct difference, but enough people having that attitude can (and sometimes does) affect the outcome of an election.

Most elections in the U.S. only have one possible outcome: Republocrat victory.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Marokai Backbeat on July 25, 2010, 04:09:26 AM
I would lean no, for the reasons stated before, but there should be efforts to expand turnout as much as possible, like making election day a federal holiday.

I completely understand and sympathize with the goals of mandatory voting, though.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: memphis on July 25, 2010, 08:56:01 PM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place.

What do you suggest we do with the millions that don't?  People don't always follow the law, you know.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Хahar 🤔 on July 25, 2010, 08:59:20 PM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place.

What do you suggest we do with the millions that don't?  People don't always follow the law, you know.

Countries with compulsory voting generally levy a fine.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Fuzzybigfoot on July 25, 2010, 09:06:05 PM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place. Also, there should be an "Abstention" option on the ballot.

Why should people be forced to wreck an entire day of their lives to take part in a meaningless exercise in futility? Life is too short to waste it waiting on line at the polling place.

Seriously?


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: SPC on July 25, 2010, 10:36:27 PM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place.

What do you suggest we do with the millions that don't?  People don't always follow the law, you know.

Countries with compulsory voting generally levy a fine.
Oh, so it has more to do with revenue collection than any actual concern for civil participation. ::)


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: 🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸 on July 25, 2010, 10:55:11 PM
why does it seem to be mainly those on the Left who are looking for ways to get uninformed and apathetic people into voting booths?


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Хahar 🤔 on July 26, 2010, 12:12:03 AM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place.

What do you suggest we do with the millions that don't?  People don't always follow the law, you know.

Countries with compulsory voting generally levy a fine.
Oh, so it has more to do with revenue collection than any actual concern for civil participation. ::)

I'm pretty sure that the revenue collected is insignificant.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Associate Justice PiT on July 26, 2010, 12:48:20 AM
You should at least be required to show up at the polling place.

What do you suggest we do with the millions that don't?  People don't always follow the law, you know.

Countries with compulsory voting generally levy a fine.
Oh, so it has more to do with revenue collection than any actual concern for civil participation. ::)

I'm pretty sure that the revenue collected is insignificant.

     In which case, just don't have a fine. I could tolerate that system. :P


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Brandon H on July 29, 2010, 10:49:29 PM
No, but if it were, "None of the above" should be an option on all ballots.

What if our government put as much effort into getting people to vote as they did on conducting the census. People going door to door "Did you vote yet?".


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Free Palestine on July 29, 2010, 10:51:48 PM
No, but if it were, "None of the above" should be an option on all ballots.

What if our government put as much effort into getting people to vote as they did on conducting the census. People going door to door "Did you vote yet?".

Everything short of legal coercion should be used to get people to vote.  Bad politicians are elected by people who don't vote.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Earth on July 29, 2010, 11:35:42 PM
Bad politicians are elected by people who don't vote.

Same could be said about those supporting anyone.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Gustaf on July 30, 2010, 06:19:39 AM
No, but if it were, "None of the above" should be an option on all ballots.

What if our government put as much effort into getting people to vote as they did on conducting the census. People going door to door "Did you vote yet?".

Everything short of legal coercion should be used to get people to vote.  Bad politicians are elected by people who don't vote.

Actually, I believe there is considerable evidence to the contrary - bad politicians are elected by people who don't want to vote but are forced by law to do so. I know I have seen that offered as an explanation for the success of certain populist, xenophobic parties in some countries. Basically, people who don't want to vote and don't like the system of being forced to do so vote for outrageous parties to say  you to the establishment.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Free Palestine on July 30, 2010, 05:21:26 PM
No, but if it were, "None of the above" should be an option on all ballots.

What if our government put as much effort into getting people to vote as they did on conducting the census. People going door to door "Did you vote yet?".

Everything short of legal coercion should be used to get people to vote.  Bad politicians are elected by people who don't vote.

Actually, I believe there is considerable evidence to the contrary - bad politicians are elected by people who don't want to vote but are forced by law to do so. I know I have seen that offered as an explanation for the success of certain populist, xenophobic parties in some countries. Basically, people who don't want to vote and don't like the system of being forced to do so vote for outrageous parties to say  you to the establishment.

That's different.  I'm talking about educating potential voters and convincing them to vote.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Psychic Octopus on July 31, 2010, 01:32:23 AM
No, that would be a terrible idea. It's more then likely that the people that don't vote would be just as uninformed if not more then those who vote already.

Another note is what if someone is interested in politics, but hates all the candidates - why should he be forced to make the "lesser of two evils" choice?

EDIT: I agree with Brandon that if this was ever implemented, a NOTA option would have to be required.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Magic 8-Ball on July 31, 2010, 05:32:02 AM
No, that would be a terrible idea. It's more then likely that the people that don't vote would be just as uninformed if not more then those who vote already.

Yeah.  I'm not sure how adding hordes of cantankerous, uninformed voters to a pool of cantankerous, predominantly uninformed voters would produce the effect people here want.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Dr. Cynic on August 02, 2010, 06:20:19 PM
My fiancee is Australian and voting is mandatory there. So, she often asks me for advice on how to vote since she's non-political. She's best matched with Australia's Labor Party, but I have a feeling she would never vote at all if it wasn't.

Really, I don't think it should be mandatory.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Phony Moderate on August 03, 2010, 01:24:05 PM
If this happened in the UK, it would probably help Labour more than the Tories, but the BNP might get a lot of "spite votes".

In any case, I oppose. It's too authoritarian.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Psychic Octopus on August 03, 2010, 03:03:06 PM
If this happened in the UK, it would probably help Labour more than the Tories, but the BNP might get a lot of "spite votes".

In any case, I oppose. It's too authoritarian.

In truth, I would suspect the Democrats would ultimately benefit from this. The Republicans are masters of keeping their voters loyal, but the Democrats have much easier ideas to sell.

"You want everyone to have health care? Then vote Democrat! You want Social Security when you are older? Vote Democrat! You want to end the Iraq war? Then vote Democrat on November 4th!"


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Goldwater on August 07, 2010, 07:59:33 PM
I don't see any good argument for why it should be mandatory, so no.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: feeblepizza on August 07, 2010, 11:58:04 PM
I would support doing so if non-political people could choose NOTA


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Sasquatch on August 08, 2010, 02:25:00 AM
Have better candidates and more than two viable options, then more people might actually vote.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Cubby on August 10, 2010, 01:02:39 AM
I would oppose it being mandatory. You can't legislate good citizenship. Some people have no interest in voting, they wouldn't take the time to become informed enough before they voted.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Ameriplan on August 10, 2010, 08:30:45 AM
I would oppose it being mandatory. You can't legislate good citizenship. Some people have no interest in voting, they wouldn't take the time to become informed enough before they voted.

You mean like 2008?


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: You kip if you want to... on August 10, 2010, 01:26:21 PM
Would forcing people to vote be unconstitutional?


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Free Palestine on August 10, 2010, 01:42:31 PM
Would forcing people to vote be unconstitutional?

Yes, because no provision gives Congress the power to do so.  They could however pull a Necessary and Proper Clause justification out of their asses, but I don't see how forcing people to vote would be necessary and proper to Congress's delegated powers, under Article I, Section VIII.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Grumpier Than Uncle Joe on August 10, 2010, 01:51:05 PM
It should be mandatory for anyone who posts on the politics boards here......


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: Хahar 🤔 on August 10, 2010, 01:54:43 PM
It should be mandatory for anyone who posts on the politics boards here......

Hey! >:(


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: #CriminalizeSobriety on August 10, 2010, 02:28:43 PM
It should be mandatory for anyone who posts on the politics boards here......

To be fair, I didn't register to vote until Scott Brown won. :P


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: MASHED POTATOES. VOTE! on August 10, 2010, 02:44:47 PM
Except for Libertas, yes.


Title: Re: Should voting be mandatory?
Post by: minionofmidas on August 14, 2010, 10:51:53 AM
Have better candidates and more than two viable options, then more people might actually vote.
Then people will not know who to vote for because they're all the so alike. :P