NationStates Jolt Archive

Do you support voluntary or compulsory voting in elections?

Voluntary.

Mexico has compulsory elections, but doesn't enforce it.. enforcing it would be costly and possibly destructive, as some people simply don't bother to acquaint themselves with issues and candidates and probably shouldn't be voting in that case.

We have compulsory voting here in Australia, and it scares me; what if somebody is voting for the Liberals because they like a comedian's impression of John Howard? All is lost.

Hey! Where did my post go?? What is this, Florida?!?

I think it should be compulsory, and if you fail to vote three consecutive times you are charged with a felony, that stays on your record with no exception and you loose your right to vote.

If you dont want to vote, get your fecking name off the roles so they can find mine easier.

Voluntary.

Well I support compulsary voting mostly because you get a better chance of getting a result representative of the public. I think compulsary voting has actually worked in Australia to a greater or lesser extent.

Sure some people will just invalidate their voting card, but when it you have have to turn up the local gym or high school and your in the ballot, I think you tend about the issues and the politicians, I think someone would be totally oblivious not to. I mean their are a tonne of things in my life I should have done and would have good to do, but didn't do them out of laziness or procrastination.

I support voluntary voting because I personally don't want to take part in them. One vote from the minority means nothing.

Well I support compulsary voting mostly because you get a better chance of getting a result representative of the public. I think compulsary voting has actually worked in Australia to a greater or lesser extent.
If representation for its own sake is the goal, then yes it has. If freedom, peace and an open society are the goal, then no, they have not.

Voluntary

An idea, very unlikely to be implemented:

I'd like a compulsory voting system with a general culture test attached to it. Let's say 10 simple questions about history, geography, mathematics, grammar, science and politics; four checkboxes each, only one is the correct answer. Then, the ballot gets multiplied by the number of correct answers given.

Utopia, I know.:(

I support voluntary voting because I personally don't want to take part in them. One vote from the minority means nothing.

In a majoritarian system and a presidential republic, means nothing.
In a proportional system and a parliamentary republic, it is very important.

Why would you want compulsive? Make someone go to the pole .. they will probably just vote against you.. or hmm maybe that would make them vote for the third party .. which might be alright, but that would only be a small amount because the vast majority would be swayed by more aggressive propaganda .. promises and connections with name brands like nike .. nfl <car brands> etc.. So.. no.. if compulsive voting was about the main dudes would have to just come up with more schemes to sway voters, ie more money to fund their more outrageous campaign .. so all you would have is the same people in office.. with just more dumbasses following them.