What's your view on compulsory voting?

[canetoad]

Obama admired the concept on his last visit to Australia. Would it ever fly in the US?

I ask because I voted today. Our Federal election is still two weeks away, but all over the country, early voting stations are set up three weeks in advance. Technically, to vote early you are required to not be in your electorate on polling day. Practically, the Electoral Commission wants to make it as easy as possible for people to vote and thus avoid fines for non-voting.

They really do everything possible to make (compulsory) voting accessible to all; no ID requirements - you state your name and address and are asked if you've voted anywhere else. Voting details are updated automatically via data-matching with various Gov. agencies such as changing your vehicle registration address. Is this too Big Brother-ish for the US?

[mahina]

1. For it.

[NanceGreggs]

2. I'm against.

Compulsory voting means people who are not interested in politics – and are therefore generally ill-informed about the topic – will be part of a voting pool that already consists of too many ill-informed people.

You get more people interested in voting by educating them as to the importance of their participation in the process, not by forcing them to participate in a process they can’t, don’t, or refuse to understand.

We should be looking for ways to engage people and peak their interest, not looking for ways to intimidate those who – for whatever reason – don’t want to be engaged.

Do you really want someone who is resentful of the fact they have to vote or else deciding the outcome of any election?

I don't.

[canetoad]

5. Admittedly, there is always a donkey vote

Those who, when given their ballot paper, number from top to bottom, without reading.

There is a cultural difference here; people just vote. They do it because they are expected to, as part of the community. I've never seen resentfulness about voting. It's just something we accept and happily do. It's a bit like registering your car or dog, having the billy-lids vaccinated or making sure your house number is readable by the postie. Part of Aussie life.

We are, much like the US, a two party system. Liberal (funny how the conservatives call themselves that) and Labor. Most folk are firmly on one side or the other and vote accordingly. We also have a very healthy spectrum of smaller parties that need to be paid attention; they all matter because we have preferential voting, which has been said to elect the least hated rather than the most popular.

So, when you talk about education, it seems a moot point to me. Maybe that's because we are 'educated' to vote.

[JI7]

8. not sure i agree. i think many people who don't vote are lazy types that lean democratic

if they were to vote they will vote for democratic leaning types and maybe some republicans like mccain types. i'm sure enough voters in the 3 midwestern states that Clinton came close to could have been won by just the democratic leaning types who were too lazy to get out and vote because they thought a democrat would win anyways since they have been winning their state in presidential elections.

it's the same with jury duty. those who try to avoid it probably lean democratic more.

while those who lean right wing are more likely to get out and vote because they are motivated by their hatred and wanting to destroy the liberals. and the same with Jury Duty and how they try to get on the jury .

when i say lazy types i don't mean specifically when it comes to voting. not that they are lazy types in general.

[NanceGreggs]

9. Where is the evidence ...

... that "many people who don't vote are lazy types that lean democratic"?

"it's the same with jury duty. those who try to avoid it probably lean democratic more."

Again, where are the facts that underpin that contention?

[Skittles]

10. "lazy types that lean democratic"

WTF

[marlakay]

18. I have a young online friend last

10 years from Australia, she said that because people have to vote they actually pay more attention and find out what’s going on.

She said it’s just a few percent that will write Mickey Mouse or something crazy since you can do write in but most vote for real and actually follow it.

She told me if she didn’t have to vote she probably wouldn’t pay any attention to it like a lot her age.

Also the elections are a short window a few months not years like here. They don’t have the ads like here.

[NanceGreggs]

36. What works in Australia ...

... doesn't necessarily work in the US. Take gun control, for instance ...

[PuppyBismark]

3. A great Idea

It is time for the entire country to voice their opinion. Given the basic level of understanding the Trumpets have of what is going on, it is my firm belief that we would get a much better outcome in many elections. It is really no big deal to vote. I have spoken to a number of young Australians when we visited there and I did not hear one person who resented that they had to vote.

Many of the voters here are one issue voters and they turn out in droves for their issue or candidate.

Given the last presidential election, I am sure we would have a woman in the white house if this had been the case.

[canetoad]

6. Thanks for mentioning the one issue voters

Not thought of that. We tend to have fewer of them than the US.

There's been examples of tiny minority candidates winning seats in the Senate, owing to preferential voting. I think you call it ranked choice, but the majority tend to vote along two party lines.

[Dem2theMax]

4. For it. nt.

[Kurt V.]

7. for it. but in general we put individual wants before the needs of the many in the u.s.

[hlthe2b]

11. Can you imagine the magnitude of propaganda & bot-based social media campaigns if we had

compulsory voting? If it is bad now...

[Thyla]

12. I was always against it but

Over the years I have warmed up to the idea. I still don't like the idea of being told what to do and certainly do not like the fact I have to rank a list of despicable candidates in order. I mean how do you order a bunch of racists, sexist and God botherers from least offensive to most offensive.

I also hate that despite being overseas I'm stuck registered to one of the safest Lib seats in the country. Plus I don't even get a sausage over here.

I do think it results in a familiar and apathetic vote base, last time I looked something like 80+ % of voters mark the ballot along party preferences. I have older family members who vote by looks.

[beachbum bob]

13. what works in Australia has no bearing on what works in america....I do believe

voting day should be a paid holiday....

[bamagal62]

14. I'm all for it!

I think we should make it compulsory. We have to show up for jury duty. We have to have a drivers license to drive. We have to pay taxes. We have to pay a fine if we go over the speed limit. We have many things in our country that we “have to do”. We should have to vote. Australia also has voting on Saturdays and they make a big party out of it with community BBQs, etc. We should celebrate our democracy. We should also make it easier for people to vote. And, if voters don’t like their choices, they can write that on their ballot. But, we should be required to participate or face a fine.

[Vinca]

15. I think voting should be much easier - automatic registration, early voting, etc. - but I don't

think compulsory voting is a good idea. I don't want people who don't know the issues and don't really give a shit pulling a random lever to avoid a fine.

[jberryhill]

16. It does not work in a system with 50 different authorities

The DU trope of “let’s fix voting this way,” whatever the proposal happens to be, typically ignores the fact that the US does not have a national voting system.

The US does not have elections. Each of the 50 states (and DC and territories) has elections.

[Hekate]

20. True dat

[Patterson]

17. It's the dumbest idea ever.

[Hekate]

19. Election day should be a federal holiday, and not a workday. Compulsory voting does not address...

...the issues of voter suppression via New Jim Crow laws and strategies.

We have so damn many problems that need addressing.

[forthemiddle]

25. Even if it's a Federal Holiday

That won’t help the people that don’t work for the Government!
I have never had Presidents Day, or Martin Luther King Jr Day off, why would Election Day be any different?
Would WalMart give their cashiers the day off, or would they just make it an excuse for another sale, and force their workers to work longer hours?

[shanti]

21. Not compulsory

but there should be an incentive to vote, imo. make it a federal holiday, for one.

[forthemiddle]

22. Against it

Years ago, I was watching the evening news from Green Bay, Wi.
It was an Election Day, and one of the questions was about remodeling Lambeau Field (Packers stadium). There was a line at the polls, and the local stations were interviewing those waiting to vote.
They asked multiple people who they intended to vote for (I think it was a mayoral election), and the majority of those asked had no idea who was even running! They were all much more worried about the Packers than who would be running their city!
From that point forward I was against mandatory voting. I want informed voters, not just people that would choose randomly.

[MH1]

24. The solution to the uninformed voter is strong local party committees.

The polls should be staffed all day by committee. Committee members and other volunteers should have canvassed the neighborhoods and talked to as many people as possible. Sure there will be some people who would still run and hide from the knowledge. But I think if they knew they had to go vote, most people would want to at least have a clue of the choices beforehand. OR, they vote by party, which is fine by me if their party is D.

But I prefer first making employers give time off, before making voting mandatory to the individual. I posted a separate reply about that.

[MH1]

23. It should be mandatory for employers to provide sufficient time off.

I don't think that a fair system for that would be too hard to devise and implement.

If a person is going to get 2 hours paid time "off" if they show their signed certification that they appeared at the poll and cast a vote*, and more time if there are known to be long lines during the time they go... I think a whole lot of people would suddenly be more interested in voting. Show up on time at 7, get in the front of the line and get done by 7:30, but don't have to be at work until 9? (or 10 if work normally starts at 8) - a lot of people would really like that. No one would say "ah fuck it I don't want to vote" and then miss that extra hour to get shit done so they can enjoy free time after work.

And basically you'd be hitting at the root of one of the big reasons for people not voting - the problem of having to take time off from work, that many people can't afford. It could also have the effect of leveling out the lines at the polls across the day, since working-age neighborhoods wouldn't all be trying to vote either before or after the main work day.

[csziggy]

37. Good idea - but the Republicans have been making it almost impossible

To vote in a reasonable amount of time. Screwing with voter registrations, poor maintenance of voting machines, cutting the poll locations and the numbers of voting machines (especially in mostly Democratic districts). Every one of those makes it take longer to vote.

For at least two decades they have been doubling down on making voting more difficult and costing people more time to vote. When a voter has to stand in line for hours, or when they have to drive more than an hour one way to get to a polling place, giving them two hours pay will not be much inducement to vote, especially for low income voters, those who have to work more than one job, or those with obligations to family members.

[MH1]

39. Yes, but if the law automatically increased the required time off, based on average voting wait time

you can bet the companies would be hounding the state and local governments to fix those problems so they wouldn't have to pay their employees more than the baseline.

I know it seems hard to implement. I just think it's better than forcing people to vote. Take away the barriers, and give a very small incentive, and people will do it.

[The_jackalope]

26. So long as there are paper ballots

And voters can walk out of the booth without marking a choice.

I support the rights of conscientious objectors.

[samnsara]

27. nope..nope nada and i would NOT vote on purpose if it was mandatory...

..i would go to jail to protect my right of free speech...

[MineralMan]

28. I have mixed feelings about it, but the reality is that

most states want nothing to do with it. The way politics are suits a lot of people just fine.

It would get a lot of resistance from some people, and politicians would use that to their advantage. They'd make "FORCED VOTING" an issue and a lot of the people who don't want to bother with voting would vote for those politicians, just to protest.

We've never had mandatory voting, and it would be highly unpopular if introduced. Way less than half of people who are eligible to vote actually vote. Hell, even to register to vote. And of registered voters, if an election brings out 60% of of those, it's considered very successful.

So, force the other half, who don't even register, to vote, and you'll get anger, not sensible voting.

[treestar]

29. It is a good idea since

People will think it is their civic duty more. Too bad they don’t see it that way voluntarily.

[samnsara]

30. my state votes all by mail. We have NO polling places and no election day hubbub...

...we get our ballots 2-3 weeks before they are due and they are postage paid. If anyone in wash state is too lazy to mark an x in a box..lick the envelope and sign it...put it in the mailbox in the front of the house.. then they dont give a poop and are probably deplorables anyway.

[Goodheart]

31. Probably a free speech violation.

It's unconstitutional to force somebody to express an opinion on a matter.

[pandr32]

32. I am more for compulsory civics classes

What good is a democracy if people don't even understand what it is or how government works?
Civics should be taught in all schools--public and private. Children should be introduced to it in elementary school along with History. It is that important.

[johnp3907]

33. I've always said: "If you're too dumb to vote you're too dumb to vote."

[dameatball]

34. Against it for two reasons:

1. We don't need more government control over personal freedoms. Seems like a First Amendment issue. Don't confuse a voting requirement with a requirement to obey the speed limit (and such), which is a public safety issue.

2. How the heck do we administer it? Who enforces it? Who makes sure everyone is registered? In other words, the same concerns we have now with voter suppression. Some side or the other, sooner or later, will figure out how to use this for political advantage. Probably not going to be Democrats if history is any indication. In other words, I don't trust the bastids.

[AncientGeezer]

35. Nope....I doubt a well educated County Justice would find it Constitutional.

Not without a Constitutional amendment

[djg21]

38. It would violate the First Amendment.

The right to vote is just that: a right and not an obligation. Moreover, if one can engage in political speech by voting; one can also engage in the same type of speech by electing not to vote.

[Cold War Spook]

40. The 15th Amendment states that voting is a right.

To make it compulsory, would need another amendment. Probably an amendment to the 1st Amendment also. Personally, I am against making it compulsory. It is my right to vote and my right not to vote.

[Cold War Spook]

41. Another thought.

What is compulsory voting? You go to the polls. You get a ballot. Do you actually have to vote for someone? I imagine that they would check off your name and received a ballot but your name would not be on the ballot. Could you leave it blank or vote for everyone? Maybe draw some pictures? I can not see it working in this country. I vote every time, but sometimes only for one or two people.

[canetoad]

43. You're right

By law you must turn up to a polling place, get your name ticked off. What you do from there is your own business. No one checks if you complete your ballot or not.

[Iggo]

42. I'm for it.

[Oneironaut]

44. Against it, as I feel that it's undemocratic.

You can vote, but you can also choose not to. By not voting, you are in a sense casting a vote for "none of the above," whether that's your intention or not.

Imo, voting should be made much easier for those who want to do it. Others shouldn't be forced to.