General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhen you see this graphic compulsory voting seems like an idea to explore..
Have the stakes ever been higher than the US Presidential Election of 2020? Looking at that graphic it is doubtful that whole swathes of the population will bother to vote. We have all witnessed voter intimidation from the more vehement of Trumps supporters and the Gerrymandering at will. We all know the Orwellian tactics that the republicans use to suppress the vote in minority communities, and we know that they will be double and tripling their efforts to get the great orange wanker back in office 2020. Of course, if everyone must vote, like they do in Australia, these insidious suppression tactics would be meaningless.
The argument, from certain sections of the community who do not currently vote in large numbers, is there is no-one to vote for, so that is why I do not vote. Of course, this inevitably leads to a chicken and egg situation. You have no one to vote for so you do not vote, how then will you ever be able to get politicians to become the kind of policy makers you would vote for? Maybe if under-represented groups were required to vote, even if they did not want to engage with the system, it would make politicians listen to the needs and concerns of those groups? Would it not make politicians listen and answer to the whole of society rather than middle class, older, white people, which tends to be where current policy is directed?
In a normal election year choosing not to vote could be reasonably considered a valid act of civil disobedience, however when the stakes are this high . when it is Trump running for re-election maybe it is not wrong to think everyone should be compelled to vote? If you are going to end up in an oligarchy rather than a democracy everyone should know that they had a part in making that decision. Not voting is passive. In this election people should have to choose, and that choice stark democracy or potentially a one party state headed by an ego-maniacal wanker.
BUT, and it is a big BUT: Can democracy ever be mandated? Can you force democracy? Surely the concept of a forced democracy is in direct conflict with the very definition of democracy? If we tried to force people into the voting booth would we not critically undermine the fundamental principle of democracy, which is choice?
I know that it is highly unlikely that America would ever adopt the Australian model, it is unicorn thinking, but I like unicorns!
Patterson
(1,531 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(49,036 posts)Bettie
(16,124 posts)"the dumbest idea EVER"?
Soph0571
(9,685 posts)cynatnite
(31,011 posts)BSdetect
(8,999 posts)Bettie
(16,124 posts)by getting a percent or two of the people who don't vote to start voting regularly, we could change the direction of the country.
There are more of us than there are of them. We just need to find the trigger to show the people who don't bother that it is important.
Captain Stern
(2,201 posts)In any case, I don't see a whole lot of good that can come from mandatory voting.
Regardless of what reasons people give for never voting, I think there's really only one reason......they just don't care enough to be bothered with it. They don't care to take the time to become informed, and they don't want to. That's their right.
By not voting, they are essentially saying that they trust everyone else to make the decision for them. That's fine.
It's easy enough for sleazy candidates to dupe folks that actually try to inform themselves. Imagine how easy it would be to fool people that don't give a shit to begin with.
Garrett78
(10,721 posts)Thyla
(791 posts)But that is more just me not liking being told what to do. Don't even get me started on preferential voting.
I do think it is actually a really good thing, it keeps the fringe at bay and well if we ever do elect a fascist party or choose to do something similar like leaving the EU then it would actually be the will of the people, dog forbid.
It does however create a majority of apathetic voters, imo.
Seriously though not sure why y'all don't just vote on the weekends and turn it into a tail gate party. Surely that'd go some way in to raising turn out numbers.
Always good to hear from someone who has that system
And that was really my point. In Australia if you ever go that far right it will have been an active choice, not apathy
dustyscamp
(2,228 posts)BSdetect
(8,999 posts)Vinca
(50,303 posts)how can they be expected to make a rational decision at the polls? Suddenly Mickey Mouse will be POTUS.
sarisataka
(18,770 posts)Includes the right to not vote. If the majority does not care enough to get out to vote and is willing to let a minority decide an election so be it.
Also, if you force people to choose there is no guarantee they will choose either of the main options. It could result in a bigger mess than what we have now.