Compulsory Voting?

the dee

This might be more suited to politics but wanted to get a general opinion on this.

My boyfriend is Australian and didn't vote in the last election they had there, what with being in Ireland at the time. Anyway, now he's worried that he's going to be fined for not voting. Turns out, in Australia, everyone who can vote has to vote.

I thought this didn't sound like true democracy. I vote when there's an election or referendum or whatever, but probably wouldn't bother if I was living abroad. Democracy is supposed to be about personal freedom and compulsory voting doesn't seem to fit in that. I think you should have a choice whether or not to vote. That way, the people who actually have an opinion get to have their say without a bunch of random, couldn't care less votes skewing the results.

He said that you can always spoil your vote but that seems like a bit of a cop-out to me.

What do you guys think?

cormie

I don't care

No way, I think the only people who should vote are those who are truly knowledgeable about each candidate and their opposition. Which isn't most people, including me

remus808

Thats ridiculous.. Is there an abstain option on the ballot paper??

National Front tbh

Bob the Builder

I don't care

nah, wouldn't work and it's completely impractical.

only the man who knows what he's voting for should be allowed to vote.

slipss

All politicains on wanting to be politicians should have to take a course which teaches economics, diplomacy, business organisation, ethics, philosiphy ect ect. Then anyone that has the qualification from the course should have the right to take an exam developed and marked by an independant organisation. Then the people who perform best in the exam should be able to take more specialised exams for the various roles in gouvernment, minister for finance ect. Then the people with the best aptitude for the particular role should get the job. The roles would become available again every four or five years and all ministers would have to compete for the job again along with all other contenders. The courses and exams would be constantly updated.

artanevilla

I don't care

No, there's too many idiots voting already. Just look at the last election.

Davidius

Only people who prove they know what they're voting for should get to vote.

ejmaztec

Stuff the voting, let's get a no-holds barred dictator to save any of us the bother.:p

Jay P

They have the same thing in some country like costa rica i think, I'm not too sure though I think part of democracy is the choice not to vote, I personally don't plan on voting when I turn 18. I don't care what people think of that, it's my choice and if anyone has a problem, that also happens to be their choice.

4Xcut

Regardless of anything else, there should be R.O.N. option on all ballots ot at least an option where a blank but otherwise unspoliied ballot counts as giving your last preference to all candidates, i.e. you wish new ones to be put foreward. It would allow people not happy with candidate choice to say so.

Dave!

For compulsory voting to be in any way fair, there would have to be a 'none of the above' option. Otherwise you are in effect being forced to vote for someone from 'this group of people'. Not fair at all.

Is there a way to spoil your vote in Aussieland?

ghostdancer

I don't care

christ no.

people should be required to pass a test on all the parties/politicians on the ballot, and their stances on issues, before they are allowed to vote here.

the dee

I don't care

DaveMcG wrote: »

Is there a way to spoil your vote in Aussieland?

Yeah, you can spoil your vote. You could probably also leave it blank and not vote for anyone. You just have to show up and get your name crossed off a list really I think.

Rb

No

I voted yes, but I'm kind of in between. It disgusts me the amount of people who don't bother to read a little and go vote, and then have a fcking cheek to complain about the government we have.

thelordofcheese

I don't care

DaveMcG wrote: »

For compulsory voting to be in any way fair, there would have to be a 'none of the above' option. Otherwise you are in effect being forced to vote for someone from 'this group of people'. Not fair at all.

Is there a way to spoil your vote in Aussieland?

Well, I suppose if you turned the ballot paper sideways and wrote "COCKS" on it in giant letters you'd manage it.

Victor

Hmm, whether to vote on this poll or not.

iFight

I don't care

No way.

rb_ie wrote: »

It disgusts me the amount of people who don't bother to read a little and go vote, and then have a fcking cheek to complain about the government we have.

A lot of people don't vote because they don't like any of the candidates, I would imagine.

eoin5

I would like to spoil this poll vote thank you very much

thelordofcheese wrote: »

Well, I suppose if you turned the ballot paper sideways and wrote "COCKS" on it in giant letters you'd manage it.

I'd vote for Ronald Mc Donald. Teeheehee

Red Hand

rb_ie wrote: »

I voted yes, but I'm kind of in between. It disgusts me the amount of people who don't bother to read a little and go vote, and then have a fcking cheek to complain about the government we have.

Well, they often backtrack on/ignore the manifestos they had before the elections...

JayRoc

cormie wrote: »

No way, I think the only people who should vote are those who are truly knowledgeable about each candidate and their opposition. Which isn't most people, including me

Or you could..y'know...appreciate that many people around the globe have yet to gain the right to vote and that men and women here have quite literally given their lives to give us the right to choose our government.
Or else you could not bother to to read up on the issues for five minutes per day and continue on as you are....


(I love a society that encourages people to revel in their blessed ignorance instead of being ashamed of it and maybe looking to rectify it.
God Bless Ameri....sorry, "Ireland"...)

daiixi

No

In Australia it's compulsory to turn up and have your name crossed off the electoral roll. You do not have to take a form and you do not have to mark it. You can mark everyone or you can write anything you want on it. Not making use of your right to vote is called "donkey voting".

OP, if your boyfriend gets fined and can prove he was overseas he'll probably be let off however he should make sure his name is taken off the electoral roll while he's not living in Australia and he won't have to worry about voting or not.

The guy

I don't care

the dee wrote: »

This might be more suited to politics but wanted to get a general opinion on this.

My boyfriend is Australian and didn't vote in the last election they had there, what with being in Ireland at the time. Anyway, now he's worried that he's going to be fined for not voting. Turns out, in Australia, everyone who can vote has to vote.

I thought this didn't sound like true democracy. I vote when there's an election or referendum or whatever, but probably wouldn't bother if I was living abroad. Democracy is supposed to be about personal freedom and compulsory voting doesn't seem to fit in that. I think you should have a choice whether or not to vote. That way, the people who actually have an opinion get to have their say without a bunch of random, couldn't care less votes skewing the results.

He said that you can always spoil your vote but that seems like a bit of a cop-out to me.

What do you guys think?

It's ironic, the only way to the get compulsory voting cancelled is by voting, maybe he should vote for the party that might support him on that.

Sleepy

No

I like the idea and would also be heavily behind the idea of a R.O.N. option (ffs, most Student Unions around the country have this in place afaik).

It would also prevent the type of shenanigans carried out during the last election where the election date was seemingly chosen to marginalise the young as compulsory voting would have to be accompanied by a national "holiday".

Rob_l

Sleepy wrote: »

I like the idea and would also be heavily behind the idea of a R.O.N. option (ffs, most Student Unions around the country have this in place afaik).

It would also prevent the type of shenanigans carried out during the last election where the election date was seemingly chosen to marginalise the young as compulsory voting would have to be accompanied by a national "holiday".

And then also copy the Thai principle whereby bars are closed the day before and of an election

death1234567

I don't care

I dont vote so why should I have to go somewhere to get my name checked off some list when I would just spoil my vote anyway?

Oh and as for the you don't vote so can't complain nonsense, well I don't vote so I CAN complain about a government that doesn't represent me. Its the people who voted for them that can't complain.

Purple Monkey Dishwasher.

juvenal

No

Look, there's no such thing as compulsory voting for a particular candidate or party.

The way this would work was if the ballot paper had a list of the candidates, and also a box entitled: "None of the above"

IMO the biggest statement one can make in a democratic vote is to indicate that none of the options meet your required standards for election.

Can you imagine if the government received 30% of the popular vote, and 70% said that none of the candidates were suitable?

ScumLord

I think it's an alright idea, as long as there's a none of the above option. They would also have to stop putting elections on during exams so that students could vote.

It would be interesting to see how many would vote none of the above. Don't know what would happen if all the typical non voters voted.

Rob_l

ScumLord wrote: »

I think it's an alright idea, as long as there's a none of the above option. They would also have to stop putting elections on during exams so that students could vote.

It would be interesting to see how many would vote none of the above. Don't know what would happen if all the typical non voters voted.

You dont have to put that option on the ballet the voter just doesn't tick any boxes for the same result, they would only be able to check you turned up at the polling station not who you voted for

Rob_l

death1234567 wrote: »

I dont vote so why should I have to go somewhere to get my name checked off some list when I would just spoil my vote anyway?

Oh and as for the you don't vote so can't complain nonsense, well I don't vote so I CAN complain about a government that doesn't represent me. Its the people who voted for them that can't complain.

Purple Monkey Dishwasher.

People who don't vote always deserve the government they get!

death1234567

I don't care

People who vote always deserve the government they get.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

I don't care

There is the flip side to this: if I have the right to vote, then surely, I have the right to not vote?

What if I don't think there's a worthy candidate in my area and think a vote is not something that should be spoilt?

Sleepy

No

You leave the voting slip blank Ikky Poo. Pretty straightforward.

The right 'not to vote' should only extend to being able to say 'I don't believe any of these people represent me', not to 'I can't be arsed getting off the couch'.

FruitLover

rb_ie wrote: »

It disgusts me the amount of people who don't bother to read a little and go vote, and then have a fcking cheek to complain about the government we have.

Forcing people to vote is certainly not the answer to this problem.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

I don't care

Sleepy wrote: »

You leave the voting slip blank Ikky Poo. Pretty straightforward.

The right 'not to vote' should only extend to being able to say 'I don't believe any of these people represent me', not to 'I can't be arsed getting off the couch'.

I'd still consider a blank slip a spoilt vote. And if a man can't be bothered getting off the couch, that, too is his right.

If you bring in compulsory voting, then you need an option on the slip for "none of the above" or similar.

Rb

No

iFight wrote: »

No way.



A lot of people don't vote because they don't like any of the candidates, I would imagine.

Jeremiah 16:1 wrote: »

Well, they often backtrack on/ignore the manifestos they had before the elections...

FruitLover wrote: »

Forcing people to vote is certainly not the answer to this problem.

Indeed.

However, these are the same people who'll go "Omg they're going to stop me driving on my provisional licence from June, the fckers, how do we continue to have such a sh1t government" etc etc. not realising that they themselves are in a huge way responsible for the problem.

Don't like the candidates?Fair enough, vote for whoever you think would do the best job out of the lot. Think that none would? Then STFU when you leave the same fcking idiots in charge of the country and they go making more retarded decisions.

I wasn't particularly swayed by any of the candidates in the last election, however, I absolutely loathe the people we have running the country at the moment, so I read up about the opposition and picked those I felt we're best and voted for them in an attempt to get the corrupt retards we have running Ireland out of their positions.

Did it work? Nope, too many old people voting for FF and far, far too many young people not being arsed (though I know FF's sneaky tactics also prevented a lot from voting also).

So, Fruitlover, what is the answer?

The truth is many young people just aren't arsed, it takes 5 minutes to vote and a little bit of time beforehand to read up on the candidates (most, if not all, have a website with all their campaign info on it at the time), yet we'll still hear from them how we've a crappy government and blah blah blah.

Rb

No

death1234567 wrote: »

People who vote always deserve the government they get.

Erm, you do realise that makes absolutely no sense, right?

Or are you just trolling?

The Real B-man

No

YES cause instead of moaning about the goverment vote and do something about it!

aidan_walsh

rb_ie wrote: »

Erm, you do realise that makes absolutely no sense, right?

Or are you just trolling?

Meh, both sides hold true.

daiixi

No

tbh if you're an adult then you should care about who is running your country and the way in which they are running it. And if you don't then you should actually make a concious decision not to care - by making it compulsory to vote then everyone who is able to vote has to actually make a decision about their future - to actively care or actively not care.

Sleepy

No

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

I'd still consider a blank slip a spoilt vote. And if a man can't be bothered getting off the couch, that, too is his right.

If you bring in compulsory voting, then you need an option on the slip for "none of the above" or similar.

I agree with you on the 'none of the above' option, I just referred to it as R.O.N (ReOpen Nominations).

I disagree that someone should have the right to sit on his/her arse and not take an active part in the running of his/her country. With rights come responsibilites and in a democracy I feel that voting is one of those things that is both a right and a responsibility.

Random

No

Put the voting machines in the toilets in pubs. Very simple. **** it, charge people 2 euro to use them and have Bertie shout out "screw you".

The problem will take care of it's self.

Another plus+ for e-voting.



As for forcing people to vote .. why the hell should I have to get up off my fat arse and trundle down to some school to have my name crossed off a list? Let's just assume that I didn't show up because I don't care, and you can cross my name off at the end of the night. If given the choice between tweedle dum and tweedle dee who are both equally useless to my future - why make me pick one?

Sleepy

No

Because it'd be better for the country if you picked tweedle dum over tweedle dumber.

And who knows, if people kept doing that, maybe some day your kids might actually get to elect tweedle smart.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

I don't care

Sleepy wrote: »

Because it'd be better for the country if you picked tweedle dum over tweedle dumber.

And who knows, if people kept doing that, maybe some day your kids might actually get to elect tweedle smart.

....who, given a couple of years in the Dail, will then be tweedle corrupt-as-****-and-trying-to-stall-things-while-he's-still-in-power...

Xavi6

No

Davidius wrote: »

Only people who prove they know what they're voting for should get to vote.

And how do you plan on proving that? Exams? People won't turn up to vote, they're hardly going to go for a knowledge assessment.

Personally I just spoiled my vote in elections because no one appealed to me. I'm still exercising my right to be involved. In something like the Nice Treaty I would always vote. If you are registered I think you should have to show up, if only to spoil. I'm entitled to vote in Australia as I'm a citizen but have no intention of registering.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

I don't care

Xavi6 wrote: »

And how do you plan on proving that? Exams? People won't turn up to vote, they're hardly going to go for a knowledge assessment.

Personally I just spoiled my vote in elections because no one appealed to me. I'm still exercising my right to be involved. In something like the Nice Treaty I would always vote. If you are registered I think you should have to show up, if only to spoil. I'm entitled to vote in Australia as I'm a citizen but have no intention of registering.

Bit of a contradiction there... Voting should be cumpulsory.... but registering to vote shouldn't...?

mental07

Personally I was stunned by the amount of people in my age bracket (early 20s) who 1) didn't vote and 2) weren't in the least bit interested in the last general election. I do think holding the election midweek is ridiculous, though. Was I imagining things or did the government announce the next election will be held on a Sunday? That's what they do in many countries - France, for example. Their president is elected after 2 rounds of voting; in 2007 the voter turnout was 84% in both rounds.

Xavi6

No

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

Bit of a contradiction there... Voting should be cumpulsory.... but registering to vote shouldn't...?

Not a contradiction at all.

If you take the time to register then you should take the time to vote. If you don't register you're clearly not interested so would be better off not included.

SimpleSam06

slipss wrote: »

Then anyone that has the qualification from the course should have the right to take an exam developed and marked by an independant organisation.

How long would it remain independant though.

ejmaztec wrote: »

Stuff the voting, let's get a no-holds barred dictator to save any of us the bother.:p

What, Charlie Haughey wasn't enough for you?

I'd be provisionally in favour of mandatory voting, as long as it came with a centralised system where you could check up on the profile of each politician and their policies.

A twist in the tail would be if you could check up on their previous policies in the same place and see which ones they actually saw through, as well as what they actually did and voted on in government. Would be dead easy to put together.

Davidius

Xavi6 wrote: »

And how do you plan on proving that? Exams? People won't turn up to vote, they're hardly going to go for a knowledge assessment.

Yeah, pretty much. If they don't bother, their loss.

Ikky Poo2

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

If you bring in compulsory voting, then you need an option on the slip for "none of the above" or similar.

Exactly, as well as postal or email voting for those who are unable to go to the polling station.

Xavi6

Xavi6 wrote: »

Not a contradiction at all.

If you take the time to register then you should take the time to vote. If you don't register you're clearly not interested so would be better off not included.

As a taxpayer you should get an automatic right to vote! after all they are spending your money!