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Well? In australia its a $50 fine for not voting, i know New Zealands the same, how would america react to something like this? It always strikes me as odd that with all the money and time and effort poured into campaigns that theres never a huge turn out at the polls.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but it seems kinda stupid that from 2000 to 2004 there were constant complaints about Bush, how he was a nazi and whatever, but come election time, he gets voted in again. Any thoughts?

being forced to vote will just mean people wont bother listening and go into the booth, shut their eyes and tick any box...people who vote by choice at least try to make some kind of informed choice...even if its simply through family tradition voting...

besides...the lack of people going to the polls is a good indicator of how people are reacting to the political process as a whole and not just individual parties...and i personally think their needs to be a measure on how well politicians are engaging the public...and the poll turn outs are very good at doing that

I've always liked the idea of "none of the above" if you feel neither candidate is worth getting a vote. You still have your democratic right to vote and you don't have to chose a candidate base on what a party provides.

Sounds simple..but...meh.

If the government were to fine me for not voting. Then I have every right to declare that in my taxes and expect at least a reduction or small refund.

Are you shitting me?

If doing anything mandatory, it should mandatory literacy tests or something. I don't want some of these dumbasses voting.

Mandatory voting=BAD idea.

Originally posted by jaden101
being forced to vote will just mean people wont bother listening and go into the booth, shut their eyes and tick any box...people who vote by choice at least try to make some kind of informed choice...even if its simply through family tradition voting... I agree. Everyone kept saying vote that uninformed people panicked and picked Bush, which was stupid of them, maybe it's because they already know Bush. It shouldn't be "vote, you must" but more "this is what one candidate says, this is what another says, pick which you think is best, if you want to change the country", if we encourage voters rather than order them, people would be more comfortable voting.

Re: Would compulsory voting work in America?

No.

Originally posted by WrathfulDwarf
I've always liked the idea of "none of the above" if you feel neither candidate is worth getting a vote. You still have your democratic right to vote and you don't have to chose a candidate base on what a party provides.

Sounds simple..but...meh.

If the government were to fine me for not voting. Then I have every right to declare that in my taxes and expect at least a reduction or small refund.

Up here in Canada it's much better. We don't just have our Liberals (your Democrats) and our Conservatives (your Republicans), but we have tons of other crazy parties that get on the ballot. Some being:

Communist Party
Family Coalition Party
Libertarian Party (less government overall...yay...)
Green Party
Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party
Marijuana Party

And soon to be elected...

the Work Less Party!

So if you don't want to vote for any of the three main parties (Liberal, Conservative or NDP (New Democratic Party...nobody likes them)) you can pick one of these crazy parties.

Happy Canadian voting! We've got parties for whatever weird thing you want!

As for compulsory American voting...put it this way: I don't think the American electoral system can get any worse than it is right now.

Originally posted by Zeal Ex Nihilo
Re: Would compulsory voting work in America?

No.

That will just cause alot of americans to *****.

I say no.

I doubt it though. Most Americans are far too apathetic. I've lost all hope in their political ambitions and drive for real change.

being forced to vote...,hardly sounds free

Originally posted by tabby999
Well? In australia its a $50 fine for not voting, i know New Zealands the same, how would america react to something like this? It always strikes me as odd that with all the money and time and effort poured into campaigns that theres never a huge turn out at the polls.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but it seems kinda stupid that from 2000 to 2004 there were constant complaints about Bush, how he was a nazi and whatever, but come election time, he gets voted in again. Any thoughts? Compulsory voting is unfree and quite disgusting in my opinion. In a democracy everyone should have the right to forfeit their choice. And in a free country everyone should have the right not to go somewhere or do something on election day. A "None of the above" post would make compulsory voting less authoritarian though. Also send a funny message.

Whether it would work in the US...I guess yeah...most their citizens seem quite happy to bend over and take it in the ass from their government.

Originally posted by tabby999
Well? In australia its a $50 fine for not voting, i know New Zealands the same.

That's pathetic, sad and pathetic and it won't work, most of the reasons have already been posted so I am not going to repeat them, but the simple answer to your question is no.

Fifty dollar fine?

It's like the opposite of a dictatorship while keeping the Nazism.

Would you get fined for voting for Tupac?

Originally posted by ragesRemorse
Would you get fined for voting for Tupac?
Hopefully.

I don't think voting should be compulsary. I remember a few years back I had no idea who to give my vote to because I didn't like anyone. I had no choice but to vote, although I should point out that it isn't actually compulsary to vote in Australia, all you need to do is get your name crossed off the register and then you can just go home.

Originally posted by tabby999

Correct me if i'm wrong, but it seems kinda stupid that from 2000 to 2004 there were constant complaints about Bush, how he was a nazi and whatever, but come election time, he gets voted in again. Any thoughts?


For one thing, there weren't constant complaints against Bush until about a year after the war started, and the complaints hadn't really spread beyond the democratic side of the nation yet.
George Bush was running against John Kerry.
Bush had lucky timing. He looked bad during most of 2004, looked relatively good two weeks before elections and it all wore off again after a month. I suspect he had a lot of campaign money and spent it all in September or something.
The people who talk and the people who vote don't always agree. For example, Bush wields too much control in everything. But when the press starts hinting that he's another version of Adolph Hitler, people start asking "why" and nobody ever gets a real response.
America still had some noticeable support from the U.N. at the time (back in the days of Tony Blair)

Bushitler.

Originally posted by tabby999
Well? In australia its a $50 fine for not voting, i know New Zealands the same, how would america react to something like this? It always strikes me as odd that with all the money and time and effort poured into campaigns that theres never a huge turn out at the polls.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but it seems kinda stupid that from 2000 to 2004 there were constant complaints about Bush, how he was a nazi and whatever, but come election time, he gets voted in again. Any thoughts?

I think that would make the very idea of freedom and the popular vote an irony.

First of all mandatory voting, as in you have to vote for a party, would be against the very essence of the democratic process. This could diminish the anonymous and free aspect of voting.

In general 'mandatory voting' means you aren't forced to vote, you are forced to show up. You are still free to vote blanco, if you're country allows it, or to cast an invalid vote. Both types of votes will be dismissed in the electoral process. In most countries that have a fine for people not turning up, the courts do not prosecute people for not voting.

I must admit I have no data about whether or not voting blanco is an option in countries with mandatory voting. (sounds interesting to look up)

Now in the US I think it wouldn't work out. There have been 'experiments' in other countries to introduce 'manadatory voting'. It generally doesn't work.
You also have to keep in mind that it takes a lot of effort from the justice system to prosecute people who don't show up. Plus it would require some kind of registration which always seems to be a problem in the US.

But as ever I am not an American, so these are just my thoughts.

Originally posted by Zeal Ex Nihilo
Hopefully.

Dont be hatin, yo

Originally posted by ragesRemorse
Dont be hatin, yo

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