Re: Should voting be made compulsory?

I've yet to hear an argument which explains the advantages of compulsory voting.

Re: Should voting be made compulsory?

JBR - as Bruce and other Aussies have explained lucidly, there is no such thing as "compulsory voting".
Nobody can compel anyone to vote.

But here, people are required to turn up at a polling both and have their name checked off the Electoral Roll.
They are then given the wherewithal to cast a vote.
If they choose to write "Mickey Mouse" on the form - or chew it up for lunch - that is their call.

SO, the question might best be
"Should attending a Polling Booth on Election Day be compulsory ?"
Most Aussies say 'yes' because we have been led to believe that it is a duty - like jury service or paying tax.
It aims to reflect the wishes of the greatest number of people.

However, there are three levels of government - Federal, State and Local.
People are fined for not turning up for the first two.

In Queensland at least, they are rarely fined by Local Governments (Councils).
At my first meeting as a Shire Councillor many years ago,
I was astounded that the very first item on the agenda at the first post-election meeting, was whether non-voters would be prosecuted.
The majority of councillors voted against it.
The reason given was that it would not be cost-effective.
It would cost more to enforce and collect than would be raised in fines.
The real reason though - was that the new councillors feared a backlash at the NEXT election.
"Not gonna vote for that bastard, he fined me last time".

Re: Should voting be made compulsory?

There are those who claim that such a system would have made the Remainers sure-fire winners of the recent referendum!

Re: Should voting be made compulsory?

Well if that is true, that's their own look out for being too lazy to vote.

I am one of those who believes that only those who want to vote should do so. If they don't, in my opinion they can't have felt very strongly about it.

As for compulsory voting, what do its proponents hope to achieve? If I didn't want to vote, or didn't feel very strongly about it, and was compelled to attend, I think I'd spoil my paper out of spite.

So what would they have achieved, other than wasting my time?

Re: Should voting be made compulsory?

If there was a "Non of the above" opposition.

It would win by a landside.

Re: Should voting be made compulsory?

In some constituencies it probably would, where none of the candidates is worthy of election. So perhaps combine with a rule that if none of the above got the most votes all the existing candidates be disbarred from standing for election again for ? years. And then hold another election.