I’m talking about for the presidential elections exclusively. Something like taxing 1% of a persons income.
Would that be so terrible?
Why or Why not?
Personaly, I rather like the idea. Except I would stipulate that the whole voting process be made a lot more accessible for those folks who can’t get around so easily.
I know this sounds like a rather radical idea I was just currious if anybody would be on board for it, even if only in spirit.
A nice correlation exists between being stupid or clueless and not voting. We don’t want stupid, uninformed people voting. Voting presumes a modicum of intelligence, judgment and knowledge. Forcing every eligable, warm body to vote, regardless of brains, motivation, knowledge is a bad thing.’
It’s not the volume of votes, but the quality of votes that drives the process.
Yes, it would. Many people make a conscious choice not to vote. What will you do, require them to go in and flip a coin?
Freedom to do something by definition requires the freedom not to do it.
If you want to look for it, we’ve had this debate at least a few times. I’m still against it for the reason furt sums up. I’m all in favor of making polling places more accessible, and previous debates have me convinced that the people who don’t vote are not just ignorant lazyasses.
That sounds a little like a poll tax.
I was also going to stipulate that there be a box that reads something to the effect of: “I am not well enough informed about any of the candidates to make a reasonable decision.”
It’s easy enough to abstain anyway, simply by spoiling the ballot paper (tick every box, or simply write ‘Blah!’ across it) - this might not be possible with electronic voting systems though.
But no, I agree with furt on this; freedom to vote necessitates freedom not to vote. By definition.
Which would make people feel embarrassed and stupid. Many would just pick whoever looks better or whose name they know instead of admitting (even to themselves) that they’re ignorant.
Voting is compulsory in Australia, theres a small fine if you dont.
I cant really see a huge difference either way, having lived in countrys with and without it. Most of the doom and disaster predictions seem to be a non issue, on the other hand I cant say I see a huge amount of benefit from it - it seems to be more a matter of principle than great impact either way.
Otara
In fact some European countries have very high turnout figures for voluntary voting. It seems the essential ingredient is the ease of registering to vote. Here in Australia I only have to let the Electoral Commissioner know that I have moved, and I can do that at the Post Office, and I am registered to vote in my new electorate. If I don’t move I don’t have to do a thing.
how about a box for ‘I am aware for what both candidates stand for but either feel my views are not represented by either party or simply do not approve of either candidate’.
this is why I do not vote in the UK elections, there is no party that even vaguely comes close to representing my views (they sometimes say they do but their track records proves us wrong.)
I have felt the same way in the past and have expressed my views by writing ‘ABSTAIN’ across the ballot paper. This is different from simply not voting because:
-The register shows that I turned up to vote.
-Spoiled ballot papers are counted; under normal circumstances, they don’t count for much, but if the volume of spoiled papers was significant, it woould be noted and the press and politicians would be all over it. I’m not sure what the eventual outcome of this would be, but it could hypothetically result in the kind of changes/reforms that you might feel able to vote for in future.
In Brazil voting is mandatory and I don’t think its helped democracy that much. Way too many people end up having to vote and you get long lines in some places.
Still the idea behind it is reasonable… that if everyone votes no one gets to complain afterwards. Typical lazy citizen who doesn’t vote is made to vote and therefore can’t bitch about bad government as much.
I really don’t see what the benefit of making everyone vote would be.
If one has decided, for whatever reason, not to vote or even not to register, I don’t see that it’s for society to insist that a person vote anyways.
Of course, I’d also like to feel assured that the local BOE’s would be able to accurately maintain their records. Which is not something I’m completely satisfied about. (My grandmother was called to jury duty 18 months after her funeral, for example, and I know the executrix of her estate made sure to notify the BOE; And I found it interesting in 2000 that all the registered independent voters that I knew locally had to vote by affadavit ballot, because the BOE had “lost” their registration information.)
I think you got that backwards.
If you DON’T vote then you can’t complain because you didn’t get up off your arse and vote for “your guy”.
OTOH. If you did vote and your guy doesn’t win… Well you can complain and say “I TOLD YA SO…” untill the cows come home. (or at least untill the next election.) 
Its a bit about … you tried and failed… now suck it up and take the “chosen” government. If people don’t vote they might feel they have a good reason for the government not to be fully legitimate.
This would sort of negate the whole “freedom” thing, wouldn’t it? As far as the stupid people voting, we have enough of them already. If you don’t care enough to form an informed opinion, you really need to stay out of the little booth.
I’m all for more training in school regarding politics and the system. They touch on it, but they make it so mothering BORING that most kids have had their fill of the process before they’re even old enough to cast a vote. There has to be a better way to energize the masses.
I concur with those who say there’s more than enough uninformed voting going on as it is. We already have too many people who apparantly are swayed by seeing a name on sign by the road.
Well, only if it’s a **shiny ** sign…
No, the only knowledge voting presumes is where the voting both is and the intelligence to walk or drive there.
A small fine might ecourage people not to vote. Right now, people vote because it is their civic duty (among other reasons) and if they thought that they could pay a bit of money to get out of that civic duty, they just might do it.