Should the US have mandatory voting?
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  Presidential Elections - Analysis and Discussion
  Presidential Election Process (Moderator: muon2)
  Should the US have mandatory voting?
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Poll
Question: Should the US have mandatory voting?
#1
No
 
#2
Yes
 
#3
Yes, but only if there is a "none of the above" option.
 
#4
Yes, but only if voting is made easier.
 
#5
Options 3 & 4
 
#6
Yes, but only if some other requirement is fulfilled.
 
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Partisan results

Total Voters: 244

Author Topic: Should the US have mandatory voting?  (Read 28350 times)
Pyro
PyroTheFox
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« Reply #50 on: November 29, 2017, 10:24:20 AM »


This, plus keep it non-compulsory.
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Suburban Republican
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« Reply #51 on: December 09, 2017, 09:21:51 PM »

Polling places should just give everyone who votes a free lollipop. Problem solved!
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Wake Me Up When The Hard Border Ends
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« Reply #52 on: December 09, 2017, 11:31:58 PM »


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.
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muon2
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« Reply #53 on: December 11, 2017, 02:14:09 PM »


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.
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Grassroots
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« Reply #54 on: December 12, 2017, 04:58:56 PM »

No.The land of the free is not the land of vote or else. So are you going to get arrested for not voting?
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beaver2.0
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« Reply #55 on: December 12, 2017, 09:05:47 PM »

While I think its ridiculous not to vote, I don't think it should be mandatory.
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emailking
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« Reply #56 on: February 07, 2018, 12:38:37 PM »


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.
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muon2
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« Reply #57 on: February 10, 2018, 01:02:35 PM »


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.
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emailking
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« Reply #58 on: February 13, 2018, 08:18:12 PM »

It's not cost effective to have every precinct open for the whole early voting period

Sure, but then there's a big difference between an early voting day and election day, and so holding the election on a weekend instead of a weekday could make a big difference.

Personally, I think all/most should be open for many days, even if it's not cost effective. I'm willing to pay extra taxes if it makes it easier for everyone to vote.
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un
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« Reply #59 on: March 16, 2018, 11:18:10 AM »

No. We'd look WAY too much like a communist authoritarian regime. And the whole idea of it isn't good itself. People in jail over not voting for the lesser of two evils? No.
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Frodo
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« Reply #60 on: March 19, 2018, 10:04:22 PM »

We don't need low-information voters with barely a high school education being forced to vote in an election for which they know next to nothing. 

According to a study released recently (and here's the article), support for authoritarian rule is strongest among that demographic. 

So, I'm fine with them not voting. 
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TexArkana
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« Reply #61 on: March 20, 2018, 10:44:09 PM »

We don't need low-information voters with barely a high school education being forced to vote in an election for which they know next to nothing. 

According to a study released recently (and here's the article), support for authoritarian rule is strongest among that demographic. 

So, I'm fine with them not voting. 
Low-information voters sure sounds like a dog whistle.
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Frodo
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« Reply #62 on: March 20, 2018, 11:40:31 PM »

We don't need low-information voters with barely a high school education being forced to vote in an election for which they know next to nothing. 

According to a study released recently (and here's the article), support for authoritarian rule is strongest among that demographic. 

So, I'm fine with them not voting. 
Low-information voters sure sounds like a dog whistle.

I can't imagine any demographic that deserves it more.  And besides, they are Trump's base.  They love dog-whistling everybody else. 
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Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers
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« Reply #63 on: April 04, 2018, 02:04:10 PM »

Yes, but states should do it individually, like California wants to make voting day, a holiday.
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emailking
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« Reply #64 on: April 23, 2018, 01:12:25 PM »
« Edited: April 23, 2018, 01:32:24 PM by emailking »

No. We'd look WAY too much like a communist authoritarian regime. And the whole idea of it isn't good itself. People in jail over not voting for the lesser of two evils? No.

But jail doesn't have to be the penalty. It could be a modest fine.

Also, the requirement doesn't necessarily need to be to check a box so much as turn in a ballot (possibly blank).
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adrac
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« Reply #65 on: April 23, 2018, 05:28:26 PM »

No. We'd look WAY too much like a communist authoritarian regime. And the whole idea of it isn't good itself. People in jail over not voting for the lesser of two evils? No.

Ah yes, just like the communist authoritarian regime of the Democratic People's Republic of Australia.
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morgankingsley
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« Reply #66 on: April 24, 2018, 02:52:48 AM »

I say that we should have mandatory voting. It's not that flipping hard to do it
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BenBurch
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« Reply #67 on: April 24, 2018, 07:33:45 AM »

We don't need low-information voters with barely a high school education being forced to vote in an election for which they know next to nothing. 

According to a study released recently (and here's the article), support for authoritarian rule is strongest among that demographic. 

So, I'm fine with them not voting. 
Low-information voters sure sounds like a dog whistle.

I can't imagine any demographic that deserves it more.  And besides, they are Trump's base.  They love dog-whistling everybody else. 

Funnily enough, it's only people like you which hear the dogwhistle. 
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FEMA Camp Administrator
Cathcon
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« Reply #68 on: May 12, 2018, 02:22:40 PM »

Maybe we should celebrate the fact that, even in our highest turnout elections, nearly half of eligible voters are so unconcerned with the outcome of the election that they don't bother voting. That's a luxury.

I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or not, but that’s certainly one theory; the problem is that voters may see their candidates as equally negative, as opposed to equally positive or equally ineffectual.
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Lachi
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« Reply #69 on: May 15, 2018, 07:20:45 PM »

Remember though that the voting part of the phrase is a bit misleading. It's actually more compulsory attendance, as in you have to go and get your name marked off. What you do with your ballot is completely up to you, you could just go straight from the the area you get your ballots right to the box and put it in, there's really nothing stopping you.
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« Reply #70 on: May 24, 2018, 03:48:52 PM »

no
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Jersey Jimmy
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« Reply #71 on: July 22, 2018, 02:06:44 PM »

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Proto
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« Reply #72 on: September 01, 2018, 08:54:47 PM »

If a voter does not show up on election day, what does that mean? Perhaps, she/he supports neither of the candidates on the ballot. To increase turnout just include "against all" option, rather than making voting mandatory.
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Wazza [INACTIVE]
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« Reply #73 on: February 18, 2019, 08:13:36 AM »

No, because if someone does not wish to vote they should have the freedom to make that decision. Additionally, it just decreases the quality of the electorate because it significantly increases the amount of apathetic voters, single issue voters, wedge issue voters, etc.
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ElectionsGuy
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« Reply #74 on: February 21, 2019, 02:12:48 PM »

I really don't understand the logic of forcing politically ignorant and apathetic people to vote.
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