Compulsory voting

[macca]

I am with Smurf, by getting everyone to vote we moderate the effect of the radicals.

Even though most of the population are not interested in politics, because we have to vote (well, get marked off the roll) it encourages people to actually think about it before casting their vote.

Those with fervent convictions would quite happily vote a number of times, they will even vote your vote if you let them.

We have a wonderful country here, let's not allow narrow minded zealots to destroy it.

 

[FXST01]

My opinion,

Only people that have paid income tax can vote.
All bludgers can't vote.

Bob.

I have never thought of it that way Bobby, but i agree with you on that

 

[prawn_86]

I just posted some infor in the worst droungt ever thread and it got me thinking about one of my pet hates, compulsary voting.

As far as im aware (and i havnt done much research), Austrlaia is one of the few Western countries to still maintain compulsory voting in elections.

This is done in order to ensure that either Liberal or Labour stay in power, and that no minority ever has a chance.

Anyone that does a simple quantitative marketing course will know that bigger brands have more people that purchase more often than smaller brands, and therefore more awareness. Apply this directly accross to governments, and Liberal and Labour are the 2 biggest 'brands'.

this means that for the vast majority of people who have no interest in voting/politics, Liberal and Labour are the only two partys/brands they have ever heard of, and therefore they will vote for one of them. Ensuring that a minority cannot win as they do not have enough salience (awareness).

If compulsory voting were stopped, then i think that only those interested would vote, and that smaller parties would obtain a lot more seats. It may take some time for the generational shift away from the 2 big brands but i think it would happen.

However, if you didnt vote, you shouldnt be entitled to whinge about the current party (too much). Personally i dont vote as i am against compulsory voting (my little stand against the world lol) and am happy under either government as there is only 2 possible results as far as im concerned and they both have very similar policies in a lot of areas.

We are still lucky to live in Aus, but there are many things which need improving.

Enjoy!

Comments welcome.

 

[moneymajix]

How do you explain what happens in the US where voting in not compulsory?

Power concentrated in the hands of the Democrats or Republicans.

Do small parties or independents get much of a look in?

 

[prawn_86]

As i said i havnt done a lot of research, but what majority of seats do the small parties hold over there?

I also think the US is a more 'patriotic' nation. In a sense that they follow their leaders a lot more and do not question things as much as Australians.

Im not saying a small party here would ever win an election, but it would make it more possible.

 

[It's Snake Pliskin]

People who have t vote may not care who they vote for therefore infuencing the result which may not benefit them. In a real democracy I should have the choice whether to vote or not.

 

[nioka]

I'm surprised this thread hasn't been used in the last few weeks. It is interesting reading. I have no opinion one way or another. ( I'll bet some of you think that's strange.)

 

[stockGURU]

I have been giving some thought to compulsory voting recently as I have changed my mind on the issue and thought it might be an interesting topic to revist given the cyncism of the electorate in recent times.

I used to believe that voting was a duty; that it was something that we had an obligation to do to keep our democracy healthy and that it was reasonable to expect that all adult citizens make a choice about who was to govern us. Now I just see it as coersion, as ugly and unnecessary as most coersion is.

Things started to change for me recently when I realised that I didn't want to vote for anyone on the ballot paper. It seemed ludicrous that I should be forced to make a decision I didn't want to make. Sure, I could have voted informally but that even seems more ludicrous; to be forced under the threat of a fine to show up at a polling place just so I could deliberately not vote. I could have done that just by not showing up in the first place.

We should have the choice to participate or not to participate in the democratic process. How can it be said that we live in a free society when we don't even have the freedom not to participate?

If we are going to continue to be forced to participate then there should at least be a "None of the above" box that we can check to show our disapproval as a group.

This thread hasn't had a post in more than four years so I'm sure there are many more recent ASF members who would like to have their say on this topic. Given the state of politics in Australia, especially at the federal level it has never been more relevant.

 

[Logique]

In principle no. A little surprising to see the poll running at 55% yes.

Politically, optional voting = Labor's worst nightmare.

 

[McLovin]

Voting is a right. In a democracy, I choose whether or not to exercise my rights, not the government. Voting should not be compulsory.

 

[Glen48]

Every thing is wrong with our present system,by increasing the informal vote you will make the powers wake up to what the voting public want.

It is not democratic when the parties tell you who to vote for they pick Garrett or some famous face just to get the numbers in Parliament but run the country from some back room with a select few deciding on the direction the country should move.
More than half in power are lawyers or people who have never held a full time job dealing with every day issues, we the voters, have to.
We also need to reduce the amount of people in power we don't need a state government if a shire need a new dam they should send a delegation to the feds and discuss however this will reduce jobs for the free loaders, I think Bligh had more staffers than Gillard what they all did heaven knows other that work out flexi time sheets.
What CV a parliamentary applicant should have I am not sure ex business manager CEO some one we can who has a historyetc???
We also need to convince voters the free lunch mess is closed for ever and we need more conviction's of people/Firms who are not honest and telling all to put their money here or giving out info they know to be false as most voters have no idea about handling money.

Until then we have to pay monkeys to give us peanuts

 

[Klogg]

My opinion,

Only people that have paid income tax can vote.
All bludgers can't vote.

Bob.

That would be brilliant!

This ofcourse would shatter the ALP and the Greens...

 

[Julia]

It is not democratic when the parties tell you who to vote for

No one tells you who to vote for. The "How to Vote" cards are no different from any other form of advertising. You can (should) ignore them.

 

[Glen48]

Julia.They do if you want to vote for your party and they have put up some star like Bert Newton as their candidate in your seat.

 

[DB008]

Voting is a right. In a democracy, I choose whether or not to exercise my rights, not the government. Voting should not be compulsory.

I respectfully disagree.
Smurf's post sums it up perfectly.

The problem with people not voting is that it dramatically increases the influence of organised minority groups. This can very easily go to the point of them gaining effective control of government.

So if you want to see those proposing 90% income taxes, shutting down anything with even the remotest impact on the environment, compulsory religious beliefs and other such radical views gain a greater foothold in government then non-compulsory voting is exactly what you want.

If, however, you prefer freedom then compulsory voting is a necessary evil to assist the majority view to prevail. A necessary evil in much the same way as brakes on a car are necessary despite being absolutely at odds with the obvective of making the car move.

If you don't wish to express an opinion then that's fine. Just draw a line through the form. But it's important to capture all opinions, even if they are to vote informally, rather than skew the vote with voluntary attendance. Most people, when required to vote, do in fact express their opinion thus diluting the power of minority groups compared to that which would exist with voluntary voting.

IMO those who would gain the most from voluntary voting are fundamentally socialist in nature since they are the ones with the motivated and active supporters most likely to vote.

 

[McLovin]

I respectfully disagree.
Smurf's post sums it up perfectly.

You disagree that it's a right or you disagree that it shouldn't be compulsory? If it's the former then it seems difficult to disagree on the latter, even if there are, perhaps, some negative possibilities.

 

[DB008]

I think that voting should be compulsory. Do a donkey vote on the day, l couldn't care.

When you have a voluntary system (in regards to anything really), people become lazy and their mindset/attitude changes to a, 'oh, she'll be right, someone else will vote what l'm thinking' and before you know it, there is a party with a few seats in parliament who also have ability to influence laws/acts/codes, because they were organised during a voluntary election and called their troops to vote.

 

[Logique]

Voting is a right. In a democracy, I choose whether or not to exercise my rights, not the government. Voting should not be compulsory.

McLovin, despite contrary opinion in the thread, I think you are correct on this issue.

In the US, has optional voting led to minority group domination. And btw, a nation far more 'right wing' conservative than our own. Mind you a Mormon is the Republican candidate.

Compulsory vote, Obama or Romney? Rather pay the fine.

 

[DB008]

Compulsory vote, Obama or Romney? Rather pay the fine.

==Or, do a donkey vote==

 

[McLovin]

==Or, do a donkey vote==

A donkey vote is still a vote. That's my issue. I shouldn't have to express an opinion if I don't want to.

In regards to minority parties dominating the parliament, that hasn't been the experience in any other Westminster system, all of which, I believe, do not have compulsory voting.

I think the comparison to the US is not the same because their presidential system vests significant power in the executive and the electoral college system makes it difficult for an independant to gain nationwide traction.