POLL: Should voting be mandatory?

[lozina]

I mean, it's mandatory for people to do jury duty, as it is a 'duty' of the citizens fo a democracy... but why isn't voting like that? Isn't voting for your leaders a much more democratic duty than to do jury duty?

Here's a nice article for some reading on the matter
article

BTW, I love this proposal for the Australian system (who established mandatory voting because they were down to 52% voter turnout- our country is currently at 60%):

The only downside of the Australian system is the presence of what they call "donkey votes." Some voters merely play pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey to decide their vote - apparently because they don't like any of the candidates, or are simply flouting their citizenship obligations.

The problem of such random voting, however, is small (and in any case, if it is truly random, ought not to affect results). In addition, the problem could be easily solved by adding a space for the voter to register the sentiment "No Candidate Acceptable." Then the NCA vote should be tabulated - and weighed. If NCA wins, then no one has been elected, and the election law should provide for another race to quickly follow.

 

[Mursilis]

Heck no; there are enough stupid people at the polls already. We don't need more. Also, some people deliberately refuse to vote as an expression of dissatisfaction with the candidates, process, parties, whatever. They should be allowed this form of protest.

I've never cared about the so-called 'issue' of low voter turn-out. Some commentators have suggested that disinterest in politics is generally an indication of satisfaction with the status quo, so maybe that's the reason? I don't really know, but I don't much care, either. A disinterested voter is generally an ill-informed voter, and I'd prefer the ill-informed to stay home anyway.

 

[lozina]

Originally posted by: Mursilis
Heck no; there are enough stupid people at the polls already. We don't need more. Also, some people deliberately refuse to vote as an expression of dissatisfaction with the candidates, process, parties, whatever. They should be allowed this form of protest.

I've never cared about the so-called 'issue' of low voter turn-out. Some commentators have suggested that disinterest in politics is generally an indication of satisfaction with the status quo, so maybe that's the reason? I don't really know, but I don't much care, either. A disinterested voter is generally an ill-informed voter, and I'd prefer the ill-informed to stay home anyway.

As for the dissatisfaction, that's why you could have something like what's in the quote above- "No Candidate Acceptable" and if the majority of people vote that, a new race should be created. With Kerry and Bush for this election, an option like this would be a godsend!

 

[conjur]

I just find it ironic you have an abstain option on this particular poll.

 

[syzygy]

juries should be professionalized. lawyers don't just accept the first 10 people off the street who can verify they are citizens. they interrogate a
large pool of people in search of juror biases that will hurt their case and those biases which they will find useful. the people selected tend to be
overwhelmngly unqualified to sit and judge expert testimony. there is a reason why other lawyers are never called or selected to sit on juries.

 

[classy]

Yes it should be mandatory. Maybe after the age of say 20 on, unless for health reasons making it impossible to go to the polls. It would only make our country better.

 

[glugglug]

Originally posted by: classy
Yes it should be mandatory. Maybe after the age of say 20 on, unless for health reasons making it impossible to go to the polls. It would only make our country better.

If by "make our country better" you mean "send our nation to hell in a handbasket even faster" or "turn the place into even more of a sh!thole by having more sheep at the polls" I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[classy]

Originally posted by: glugglug

Originally posted by: classy
Yes it should be mandatory. Maybe after the age of say 20 on, unless for health reasons making it impossible to go to the polls. It would only make our country better.

If by "make our country better" you mean "send our nation to hell in a handbasket even faster" or "turn the place into even more of a sh!thole by having more sheep at the polls" I wholeheartedly agree.

Thats because you think your opinions or views are superior to others. In other words, you think you got it 100% right. But voting is a right that is given to all to express their views in voting for the person who they believe is better fit for the job. Regardless of what that reason or reasons may be. By having more folks vote you will have a more clearer voice of the true general public. Thats why polls are generally without merit when it comes to predicting elections for public office. While the poll may capture the true voice of the public, many who participate in a poll don't vote.

 

[Lorax]

no. if people don't want to vote, why make them? you're only going to get mad citizens.

 

[Mursilis]

Originally posted by: classy

Originally posted by: glugglug

Originally posted by: classy
Yes it should be mandatory. Maybe after the age of say 20 on, unless for health reasons making it impossible to go to the polls. It would only make our country better.

If by "make our country better" you mean "send our nation to hell in a handbasket even faster" or "turn the place into even more of a sh!thole by having more sheep at the polls" I wholeheartedly agree.

Thats because you think your opinions or views are superior to others. In other words, you think you got it 100% right. But voting is a right that is given to all to express their views in voting for the person who they believe is better fit for the job. Regardless of what that reason or reasons may be. By having more folks vote you will have a more clearer voice of the true general public. Thats why polls are generally without merit when it comes to predicting elections for public office. While the poll may capture the true voice of the public, many who participate in a poll don't vote.

And the "true voice of the people" once supported slavery, so maybe we ought to think twice before we glamorize mob rule.

Of course voting is a right, but what right do you have to force people to take part?

 

[Corn]

And the "true voice of the people" once supported slavery, so maybe we ought to think twice before we glamorize mob rule.

 

[XZeroII]

HE|| NO! After reading some of the crap on these boards, our only chance is that some people are just too drunk to make it to the polls and thus don't vote.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

I think there should be some decent incentive incentive for voting, maybe a tax credit, because being able to choose one retard or crook over another sure isn't enough.

 

[classy]

Originally posted by: Mursilis

Originally posted by: classy

Originally posted by: glugglug

Originally posted by: classy
Yes it should be mandatory. Maybe after the age of say 20 on, unless for health reasons making it impossible to go to the polls. It would only make our country better.

If by "make our country better" you mean "send our nation to hell in a handbasket even faster" or "turn the place into even more of a sh!thole by having more sheep at the polls" I wholeheartedly agree.

Thats because you think your opinions or views are superior to others. In other words, you think you got it 100% right. But voting is a right that is given to all to express their views in voting for the person who they believe is better fit for the job. Regardless of what that reason or reasons may be. By having more folks vote you will have a more clearer voice of the true general public. Thats why polls are generally without merit when it comes to predicting elections for public office. While the poll may capture the true voice of the public, many who participate in a poll don't vote.

And the "true voice of the people" once supported slavery, so maybe we ought to think twice before we glamorize mob rule.

Of course voting is a right, but what right do you have to force people to take part?

What the hell? Where in China does that have anything to do with what I said, dumbass? The more people who vote the better it would be. Period. And if most people were made to vote, it might cause more folks to be involved with whats going in our country. That bs you just spouted is because your looking at things through your belly button.

 

[classy]

Originally posted by: Corn

And the "true voice of the people" once supported slavery, so maybe we ought to think twice before we glamorize mob rule.

LOL,

 

[b0mbrman]

Offhand, some reasons...:
Belief that they won't affect the outcome
Satisfaction w/the status quo
Don't know enough about the issues and thus don't feel qualified
Good old apathy

 

[Ferocious]

As much as I despise Bush I still wouldn't voting to be mandatory.

I want him to lose.....but not in a landslide.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: Ferocious
As much as I despise Bush I still wouldn't voting to be mandatory.

I want him to lose.....but not in a landslide.

If you'll allow me to infer a little...why are many anti-Bushies not voting?

And why is everyong okay with this?