Compulsory Voting

[Illuminattile]

This came up on NationStates, so I thought I'd put it to you people.

Should voting in elections be compulsory? That is, should anyone who doesn't fill in a ballot (meaning they have to either vote or deliberately abstain by spoiling the ballot or whatever) be punished?

On the one hand, it would increase voter turnout and (theoretically) make the outcome more representative. As it stands, it tends to be the more extremist groups - religious nuts in America for example - that vote en mass, biasing the results.

On the other hand, the people who don't vote are likely to be the ones who aren't informed, and so they might end up influencing the outcome without really knowing what they're voting for.

Australia has compulsory voting, and their voter turnout is hight. However, Holland abolished compulsory voting, and their turnout is still high.

 

[Cooper]

Shouldn't have it.....I don't like the idea of being forced to vote....esp. when I don't like any of the choices.

 

[Khaled]

i agree with @

i don't believe forcing people to vote will make the outcome more representative.

 

[k69atie]

Shouldn't have it.....I don't like the idea of being forced to vote....esp. when I don't like any of the choices.

totally agree :thumb:

 

[Jibster]

More choice between different political groups would be a better idea.

I personally wouldn't want this to happen, we are lucky to have the right to vote, if you have to do it it's no longer a right. Also, people who don't want to vote and are forced would ruin the vote anyway by voting for some little known party giving them power they don't deserve.

 

[Illuminattile]

OK, to clarify, it's not compulsory voting per se. You don't actually have to vote, but you have to show up. You could leave your ballot slip blank or whatever. If you don't like the candidates, you don't have to just pick one to vote for. That way, anyone who doesn't vote does so because they don't like the candidates, not because they're too lazy to show up.

Personally I think educating people about the parties and their policies is gonna be more effective in the long-run.

 

[Amara]

I dont think it should be compulsory, I dont give a shit about the fact that it forces people to do something but rather I hate that people make uninformed decisions. Majority of people here are ignorant and malleable.. this is why John Howard got elected and relected... people know no better... they figure, that'll do... she'll be right... idiocy.

If people dont care about politics, they shouldnt be directing the course of it.