Should Cities Start Requiring Citizens to Vote?

[portlander23]

A Feasible Roadmap to Compulsory Voting
NICHOLAS STEPHANOPOULOS
The Atlantic

Not enough people vote. It’s a perennial source of concern in American politics. There’s no shortage of reforms designed to address the problem, but one idea that seems particularly promising, at least in theory, is compulsory voting. It would produce much higher turnout for the obvious reason that it requires people to vote. It’s long been dismissed, though, as an impossible pipe dream, unlikely to ever happen in the United States. But if reformers were to start at the municipal level, they could set into motion forces that might lead to its nationwide adoption.

Start with some statistics: In years with presidential elections, voter turnout peaks at just above 60 percent. In off-year elections, turnout dips to 40 percent or less. In November 2014, only 36 percent of eligible voters went to the polls—the lowest share in more than 70 years. Participation this paltry calls into question the political system’s legitimacy. It also hints that election outcomes might be quite different if more people bothered to show up.

Compulsory voting isn’t as draconian as it sounds. No one is dragged to the polls against his or her will, and no one is thrown in jail for refusing to cast a ballot. Instead, a modest fine (about $20 in Australia) is levied on people who fail to show up and have no good excuse for their absence. There also isn’t any danger of political speech being compelled—a no-no under the First Amendment. People are free to do what they like with their ballots, including turning them in blank.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. Compulsary voting is an obnoxious concept.

If you can 'turn in your ballot blank', that's really no different in outcome than not showing up. All compulsory voting would do is hide the fact that the candidates for sale are so repulsive that almost no one wants to buy them. If your voting numbers are too low, that's a SYMPTOM of profound problems in the system, not a profound problem itself.

[niyad]

3. THANK YOU!!

[Recursion]

22. +1. I've deliberately turned in blank or defaced ballots

As part of the DC representation push.

Not voting is very much a legitimate expression of political opinion. Even if it's abused it needs to remain an option.

[niyad]

2. are they going to include a "none of the above is acceptable" option on every office, every

ballot issue? that is the only way required voting will be even remotely acceptable, since there are many who refuse to vote for the lesser of two evils in so many cases.

[KamaAina]

35. Nevada did that until recently.

No idea why they dropped it.

[Tryan Hard]

4. what about the whole "freedom" thing?

[LonePirate]

5. If I have to use an electronic voting machine, why can't I vote via the internet?

I can pay my taxes and bills via internet as well conduct all of my banking online as well. Why is voting the sole holdout here?

[KamaAina]

36. Because if someone hacks into your tax return, you don't get a refund.

If someone hacks into enough voting machines, we get Bush III. Or worse.

[FLson]

6. I'll show up and write in my candidates

the candidates being -

Go Fuck Yourself

- for most of the candidates followed by "and your mother" and other nonsense.

I don't take kindly to being forced to do things.

[PADemD]

9. Is that what you say to the judge when called for jury duty?

[FLson]

13. I'm a lawyer

jury duty isn't something we get to do. But if you think I'm going to look kindly on the party that forces me to vote. Oh boy, like a famous metal gay singer who is favorite mine says "You got another thing coming."

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

23. Do they actually ban you from jury duty, or is it simply that

the people picking prospective jurors always throw out anyone who knows too much about the law?

[Travis_0004]

7. It would be a violation of the 1st admendment

People are free to express their political speech, and I think that gives them the right not to vote if they so choose.

[KamaAina]

34. From the article:

There also isn’t any danger of political speech being compelled—a no-no under the First Amendment. People are free to do what they like with their ballots, including turning them in blank.

[Travis_0004]

47. And I'm free to not show up

I vote in every election, but this idea is bullshit. If it was passed (not that it has a chance), I would sit an election out in protest.

And I think the supreme court would weigh in, and I think they would find that it is a 1st amendment violation.

[KamaAina]

48. This SCOTUS? Sure they would.

Remember, Dems want more people to vote. Repukes want fewer people to vote.

[Travis_0004]

50. OK

I'll admit, I'm salary. I left early to vote, so I could still get home at my normal time.

Are you supporting fining and arresting people on minimum wage jobs who may not have reliable transportation to vote, or something last minute came up. Maybe a single mom cant afford a babysitter, and doesn't want to take the kid out to go voting.

I think we can make improvements, no excuse absentee ballots in all 50 states is a great first step. I want everybody to vote, but nobody should be forced to.

[KamaAina]

51. Labor unions give people rides to the polls.

Or at least they used to.

[Travis_0004]

52. Ok, so lets pass the law then.

And if you can't find a ride, then pay your fine or go to jail.

[KamaAina]

53. At that point, the cops could just as well take the voter to the polls

as take them downtown.

[GGJohn]

8. Absolutely NOT!!!!

In this country, we have freedom of choice, that means we have the choice to either vote or not vote.

[SheilaT]

10. Why cities? Why not counties or states?

[KamaAina]

38. It would start with cities

then when Dems started rolling up strings of victories because of the improved turnout, the counties and states would kind of have to jump on the bandwagon or risk getting left behind.

[Quackers]

11. Let them go ahead and try to fine people $20 for not voting and see what happens.

Last time I checked, "we the people" controlled the government, not the other way around.

[melman]

12. No. Never.

[Nevernose]

14. No, but we could make voter registration "mandatory"

By passing laws that say if a person registers for a state-issued identification card, then they're registered to vote.

Leave an opt-out process available, but only if the person opts out using snail mail (my thinking is that anyone too lazy to vote won't bother with the mail, and anyone eccentric enough to get upset about being a registered voter is probably already a weirdo used to sending crank letters to government agencies).

[KamaAina]

33. Oregon and California have done precisely that.

We'll see if it helps with our (CA) abysmal turnout.

[restorefreedom]

15. no compulsory voting or reg.

people have the right not to participate in voting or serving on a jury if that is their wish.

there is a reason people are so unplugged from the corporate owned political system. treating the symptom doesn't cure the disease.

[KamaAina]

39. "people have the right not to participate in voting or serving on a jury if that is their wish"?

When was the last time you got a jury duty summons? What happened?

[restorefreedom]

43. how is that relevant?

if we are going to have any kind of compulsory service in this country it should be military, so people know what they are voting for. fwiw, i am not advocating that. people in a free society should be free to "opt out" if they wish although paying taxes is pretty unavoidable except for the 1%.. what is the problem with people opting out in your view?

[KamaAina]

45. It skews election results toward those who opt in

who tend to be older, richer and whiter than the populace at large.

[restorefreedom]

46. that is unfortunate

I think the solution lies in giving something to people that is worth voting for rather than forcing them to vote when they see no value to it because the candidates all suck.

[WillowTree]

16. Sure. And then I'll vote for whomever promises to repeal compulsory voting.

[Throd]

17. Yes. The Kardashian bloc must be heard!

[PoliticAverse]

18. Want to get more people to vote? Just put "None of the above" on the ballot and

remove all the candidates for the next election if it wins.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

24. Hells, yea!

That would be probably be the only way to get rid of some of these deeply entrenched incumbents.

[hashwilliams]

19. dicussion

Yes.! it is required for citizen to vote for city

[Snobblevitch]

20. Since you brought up the subject,

portlander23, what is your opinion on this topic?

[portlander23]

21. I dunno

It's interesting. It seems to work in Australia. I think I come down more on the side that we should make all voting days vacation days and make it really easy to vote, and to vote early.

Something however is haywire with democracy when you have the voter turn out rates we do in the USA.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

25. Ever catch the South Park voting episode?

They nail the real problem. Constantly being asked to choose between a 'turd sandwich' and a 'giant douche'. Give us even the option of a blank slate, and we throng to the polls to at least have the slightest chance of voting for something better.

[portlander23]

31. Instant runoff voting

In Portland we have IRV for certain offices. I actually got to select first, second, and third choice for mayor. This helps blunt the giant douche problem.

[KamaAina]

40. That was just on last night!

[Snobblevitch]

28. My state of Minnesota consistany ranks at the top

of voter registration and voring per capita.

I don't believe that a law violating the U.S. Constitution would be the right way to go.

[B Calm]

26. It's every citizens patriotic duty.

[Bluenorthwest]

30. Are you in Portland Maine? Because here in Oregon turnout is far above national averages as it is

in a few other States, each have methods which encourage voting. Oregon votes by mail and has automatic registration at DMV and registration opportunities when applying for benefits and such. Our last midterm doubled the national rate. It was 70% which is low for us. Minnesota has even better turnout....

So I say make voting easier and people will vote.

[portlander23]

32. Maine

The real Portland

[KamaAina]

41. The city in Oregon was almost called Boston.

Two sea captains, one from (the real ) Portland and the other from Boston, flipped a coin to settle the matter. If the Bostonian had won, life in the NBA would be rather interesting: "And Boston did it to Boston last night, 125-121."

[MohRokTah]

37. It would probably be ruled unconsitutional. eom

[greymattermom]

42. Lottery!

Just give all voters tickets to a special lottery. Small local prizes and one big prize. More would vote for sure.

[Shandris]

44. Yes, and let's cut out the slow water boiling frog scenario and go straight...

...to the other desired part of that agenda which is to make all elections fully visible. That way no one can vote against the narrative, but we can still preen and pretend there's a 'democracy' somewhere.

I'm getting sick of all these authoritarian control plots that are so transparently thin a competent four year old can pierce them.

[KamaAina]

49. Dems want more people to vote. Repukes want fewer people to vote.

An awful lot of you are taking the repuke side here.

[portlander23]

54. I was thinking about this more today

I don't have a strong reaction to this, but it seems like there's nearly universal libertarian sentiment that this is a terrible idea.

What is it about this in particular that makes it so onerous? Right now the government can compel:

1. Military service
2. Payment of taxes
3. Service on a jury
4. Purchase of private for profit health insurance programs

I'm sure there's more things. What is it about compelling participation in elections, even if that means declining to make a selection, significantly different than these things?

Are you against any of these things? I'm not thrilled about #1 and #4. On #2 and #3 I just see that as civic duty.

[NYC Liberal]

55. No. I think the better solution is to make it easier to vote for those who want to.

Mail-in ballots.

Early voting.

Extended voting periods (over several days).

Dumping photo ID requirements (voter ID laws).

Automatic or opt-out voter registration.

All of these would be far better than compulsory voting. Make it easy for people who truly want to vote to do so. Lowering the barrier to entry of voting is what is needed.