Is mandatory voting good?

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

many nations have mandatory voting, although not all enforce it. Is it a good idea?

[Sirius_]

No. Forcing people that are uninformed or apathetic can lead to some terrible candidates winning. Also voting is a right, and rights don't have to be exercised (i.e. in America you don't have to always speak your mind on everything).

[Lechasseur]

No. Forcing people that are uninformed or apathetic can lead to some terrible candidates winning. Also voting is a right, and rights don't have to be exercised (i.e. in America you don't have to always speak your mind on everything).

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[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

No. We need to make voting as easy as possible, but I see no benefit to compelling the uninformed or apathetic into the voting booth.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

No.  The right to vote also includes the right not to vote if you choose.  Compulsory voting violates the First Amendment in two ways: it goes against freedom of speech because some people choose not to vote as a form of political protest, and it violates freedom of religion since there are some religious groups (like Jehovah's Witnesses) that bar their members from voting.

[Goldwater]

No. Forcing people that are uninformed or apathetic can lead to some terrible candidates winning. Also voting is a right, and rights don't have to be exercised (i.e. in America you don't have to always speak your mind on everything).

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[AtorBoltox]

Works fine in Australia. It means that whoever is elected actually represents the whole country, not just a motivate minority. This would help bring down the crazy level of bipartisanship in America if politicians had to focus on winning broad support and not just turning out their base

[America Needs R'hllor]

No. We need to make voting as easy as possible, but I see no benefit to compelling the uninformed or apathetic into the voting booth.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

At the very least—and I’m not condoning mandatory voting—it should require the offering of a “None of the Above” option. If NotA wins a plurality, the election would be redone, but with all original candidates barred from running.

[dead0man]

It's always weird to me to see people wanting more ignorant and apathetic people voting.  You know they will be more likely to vote for your guy, hey that's great, but doesn't that also mean you vote the same way the ignorant and apathetic vote?  This is a good thing to you?  This doesn't make you question things....like, at all?  That's weird.

[fluffypanther19]

No. Forcing people that are uninformed or apathetic can lead to some terrible candidates winning. Also voting is a right, and rights don't have to be exercised (i.e. in America you don't have to always speak your mind on everything).

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