Compulsory voting?

[Cowperson]

I noticed on the Australian election coverage in the last few days that Australians, by law, HAVE to show up at a polling booth during an election day or face financial penalties or possibly even jail in some cases.

I believe turnout was about 97% in the previous election to this one versus 61% in Canada.

Australia has had a compulsory voting law since 1915. Although compelled to show up at the voting booth, people are not forced to cast a ballot and can even write in an alternative name to spoil the ballot.

With another very, very tight race in the USA being fought and a previous election decided by the narrowest of margins and the heartening example of Afghans today risking life and limb to turn out for the first ever chance to cast a ballot, should America and Canada consider mandatory voting laws?

A backgrounder, dated but relevent.

http://www.hws.edu/news/update/showw...?webclipid=471

Cowperson

[snowdude]

i would like to think so, but part of me wonders just how informed some of the votes were and how much misinformed voters decided key races....I think proportional rep would help get the voting number back up in Canada

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally posted by snowdude@Oct 9 2004, 09:34 PM
i would like to think so, but part of me wonders just how informed some of the votes were and how much misinformed voters decided key races

That's just it. You wouldn't necessarily be getting a better result. IMO, if someone is so disinterested in voting, it is probably better off that they don't. Even if they don't make them vote for a particular candidate, you can bet that after being made to go, a great number of people likely pick someone on a whim and then go back to their life of not caring.

[Red]

I think that most people that don't vote do it out of laziness or ignorance. They just can't be bothered. A lot of westerners won't vote in federal election because they know that their vote doesn't matter.

I think (hope) that majority of the people at least have a recognition of the candidates so the uninformed vote wouldn't really be that much of a problem.


In the end it probably wouldn't change much though.
________
Sc replayers

[kipperfan]

compulsory voting to elect a leader of a democratic nation...makes sense

[Daradon]

Yup, Australians are forced to go to the polls, but as you said, they can spoil their ballot once they get there. However, with the people I lived, worked, and played with down there, they seemed to be a lot more knowledgeable on politics (at least their own, Australia is kind of isolated) and a LOT more interested in them even if their knowledge was lacking, than your average North American. Perhaps being forced to go to the polls forces you to take even a small interest in what's going on. While it's true you could spoil your ballot there, once your their, I imagine most people would be like, 'hey I'm here anyway...'

Although, I believe that democracy, as being the right to choose, is also the right to not choose. I truly believe voter turnout would be much higher if we had better politicians to pick from. THAT I believe is the biggest problem. We've gotten to a point where we realise all politicians waste money, lie to a certain extent, and generally mess things up. So no one takes the time to learn because they're disillusioned or disfranchised from the system, feel they can't make a difference, it's just choosing one bozo over the other, not because they are inherently lazy. Most times it comes down to picking the lesser of two evils, not really a good candidate.

Take this years federal for example. I couldn't vote liberal obviously, but with Harper's positions on Iraq and the missile defense plan, I couldn't vote conservative either (which was a jump for me as I voted reform and alliance in the past two elections).

I still believe in the responsibilty of the vote though, so I went and cast for Green. If green wasn't an option, I would have done a write in vote for myself, which I did last time there was a provincial election.

But most people won't go through the exercise of all that if they feel there are no good candidates. I believe it's a responsibility, so I always will, but I can see why people wouldn't.

[Resolute 14]

The last thing Canada needs is legions of uninformed people who dont care punching a ballot because they have to.

Democracy isnt pulling a random name out of a hat.

[snowdude]

Originally posted by Snakeeye@Oct 9 2004, 05:14 PM
The last thing Canada needs is legions of uninformed people who dont care punching a ballot because they have to.

Democracy isnt pulling a random name out of a hat.

That's how the oilers coaching staff is chosesn

[calf]

Originally posted by snowdude+Oct 9 2004, 05:32 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (snowdude @ Oct 9 2004, 05:32 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Snakeeye@Oct 9 2004, 05:14 PM
The last thing Canada needs is legions of uninformed people who dont care punching a ballot because they have to.

Democracy isnt pulling a random name out of a hat.

That's how the oilers coaching staff is chosesn [/b][/quote]
Same as the Golden Bears!

[Resolute 14]

LOL... actually, if there is one aspect where hockey and politics are synonomous, it is the Edmonton Oilers. Coaches and GMs are hired as patronage for previous work in the organization, rather than on merit. Not surprising, coming from Redmonton.

[zarrell]

Originally posted by kipperfan@Oct 9 2004, 03:53 PM
compulsory voting to elect a leader of a democratic nation...makes sense

We live in a democracy?

[Resolute 14]

Only in Ontario. Democracy is rumored to make it's way out west sometime between now and the apocalypse.