[Poll/Discussion] Do you think your country should institute a system of compulsory voting?

[ETB5]

Voter participation is a central part of any democracy. However, there are countries where the voter turnout rate lingers around the 50% mark.

Here is a graph from the OCED, which illustrates voter turnout rates from various countries.  

 

What use is there for democracy when a country's population does not actively participate in it?

 

I do believe that a compulsory voting system would be beneficial to a country, but only when the majority of its population has an adequate level of education, and the capacity for critical thinking. After all, what would be the use of instituting this type of system on an uneducated population whose vote can easily be swayed by deceptive and cheap political publicity/tactics that appeal to their emotions and prey on their ignorance? 

 

Would you want voting to be compulsory in your country? And, if you already live in a country where it is compulsory, like Australia, what is your (or the general) opinion of this system? Do you think it works?

[Savior Qrisus]

Still not gonna stop those people from voting stupid Republicans into congress making dumbass decisions and the people who voted for them blaming it on the the president.

[vortex]

Yes.

It's so tiring to hear people complaining about the government, even though they don't participate in voting at all.

It would definitely help with overall citizen participation in politics.

[SamuhaMe]

No need for a compulsory voting system in My country ! we know the winner before even Voting -_-  !!

[Pineapple]

I would rather have informed voters making conscious choices that reflect what they want in a government, than have people forced to vote showing up and picking whatever because they had no to choice but to come. People will still complain no matter what though.  

[masketta]

fuck no

[amber oppa]

I would rather have informed voters making conscious choices that reflect what they want in a government, than have people forced to vote showing up and picking whatever because they had no to choice but to come. People will still complain no matter what though.  

 

 

This~

 

 

 

 

 

I also think if you're of age to vote and didn't vote, you have no right to complain about the government.

[......]

you realise that US government does not want everyone to vote? 

They try to push legislation that will make it more difficult for certain groups of people to vote, so there will never be a compulsory voting system in the US. On the contrary, i wouldn't be surprised if at some point, we see a more restrictive one.

 

 

But tbh, I could barely muster a vote in the last election either (although i did). I did not want either candidate to win... and didn't want to bother standing in line and taking time out of my day to vote for someone i did like, who didn't have a shot in hell.

 

Voting should not be compulsory though...end of the day. It's bullshit when your government forces you to do anything...but it seems pointless to me at the same time. Simply because people are forced to vote....doesn't mean outcomes will be any better. You can't force people to educate themselves. They would just be voting...because they have to.

[Mr. Phoenix]

Worked very well in the Soviet Union. :(

 

How about mandating that statist thugs mind their own business, instead of threatening the public with government guns every time they don't feel like they are getting enough free stuff?

[amix]

absolutely not

 

even if people are "educated" (i'm assuming you're talking about school and having completed hs/college/whatever) doesn't mean that they give even half a shit about politics and are well read about current events and government issues

 

i'd rather have people come through free will to vote because i feel like those people actually want to be there, which means that they're probably more informed about the topics at hand

 

since you pointed out the US in that graph, there are a vast number of reasons why the voter turnout is low - voting day is always on a tuesday instead of a more convenient day (since many people work during that time), not all states require your employer to pay you if you take time off from your workday to vote, voter ID laws have been pushed into the spotlight again and have been shown to disenfranchise minorites, automatic registration does not exist and one must individually sign up for it, registering is all messy paperwork instead of being more convenient (i.e being online) yadda yadda yadda

 

i think the US should definitely not have mandatory voting but they should really make it easier for one to vote if they desire to do so

[JamaisVu]

No.

 

If I don't like any of the candidates I shouldn't be forced to waste my time going anywhere to support them. 

 

Specially in my country where no matter who wins, it's always the same BS. I don't even know how people keep believing their campaign promises. 

[LØKI]

My country already does 

 

I don't see why not, I mean if you didn't vote should you have the right to complain? Obviously people with an agenda are going to vote whether it be a "good" or "bad" one

[KrazyAjumma]

Voter participation is a central part of any democracy. However, there are countries where the voter turnout rate lingers around the 50% mark.

Here is a graph from the OCED, which illustrates voter turnout rates from various countries.  

 

What use is there for democracy when a country's population does not actively participate in it?

 

I do believe that a compulsory voting system would be beneficial to a country, but only when the majority of its population has an adequate level of education, and the capacity for critical thinking. After all, what would be the use of instituting this type of system on an uneducated population whose vote can easily be swayed by deceptive and cheap political publicity/tactics that appeal to their emotions and prey on their ignorance? 

 

Would you want voting to be compulsory in your country? And, if you already live in a country where it is compulsory, like Australia, what is your (or the general) opinion of this system? Do you think it works?

 

Exactly why I say no, not in America. 

 

I don't vote. I don't complain. 

[Ulmicola]

Yes and no. Compulsory voting, but only for those without a criminal record that pass a test about contemporary issues and politics. The rest would be allowed to vote only at a local (not provincial, regional or national) level. Demagogues of questionable morality have taken advantage of the most corruptible, naive and gullible share of the population for too long, with the results everyone else can plainly see; neither should be allowed to ruin the country.

 

There are places, especially in the South, where a person's vote can be bought by the local criminal organizations, and the politicians they support, for FIFTY EUROS. In Calabria, SEVENTY PERCENT of the politicians have ties to the 'Ndrangheta, the local mafia. Why should we even allow those politicians to run for office, or those people to vote?

 

Such measures could spell the end of Italy's notoriously corrupt right wing parties, too - good riddance.

[hiraishrimp]

No, if you force people to vote when they don't want to, they'll only throw their vote away 

That's how we end up with shitty politicians 

[ì…�]

Youll still gonna end up to the leaders whom majority of the people voted for. Youve got no choice

[lu-brican't]

No

 

on another note, schools need to start teaching kids that it's okay not to follow your parents' political ideals. I was asking my 99.9% solid republican friend group (one didn't care so much that she didn't even pick independent) about Obama's State of the Union Address and they all said, "Obama's an idiot. He needs to get out." And they had no clue of what a State of the Union Address was and give no actual fucks about politics. And one even asked if we could stop talking about bc apparently her dad threatened to disown her if she even thought of voting anything other than republican...  

 

I'm worried about the gov't later when they get to vote. It's absolutely appalling how ignorant they are and how easily they believe the bad things they hear about Democrats/other parties. And I'll bet a million dollars that they'll be voting straight ticket republican without even glancing at the facts.

[invisiblecc]

Nah, our democracy isn't real anyways.