There Really Was Some Voter Fraud!

[shemp]

As an Australian what I am shocked about is that people know who has voted. In Australia voting is compulsory, but who you have voted for is secret. And if you fail to vote that is not published either.

They don't actually know who you voted for. But in some states, whether or not someone voted in an election is public record. So they know that if you didn't vote in the primary election, you didn't vote for Trump.

The whole thing is to increase voter turnout, and to make you feel guilty if you didn't vote, which might make you more receptive to mailers looking for donations.

 

[Norman Alexander]

If you made voting compulsory, all that hassle goes away.

 

[Stacyhs]

If you made voting compulsory, all that hassle goes away.

Yes. And so does a person's freedom to make their own decision to vote or not. I consistently vote, but the idea of being forced to vote is anathema to me.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

Yes. And so does a person's freedom to make their own decision to vote or not. I consistently vote, but the idea of being forced to vote is anathema to me.

Why?
You can still put in an invalid ballot..
No one is forcing you to vote For anyone.

 

[plague311]

Yes. And so does a person's freedom to make their own decision to vote or not. I consistently vote, but the idea of being forced to vote is anathema to me.

Why?
You can still put in an invalid ballot..
No one is forcing you to vote For anyone.

I was going to say the same thing. If you don't want to vote just take the ballot out, put it in the return envelope and send it back. Done and done.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

Generally, voters have 3 choices, each communicating to politicians a different message:

1. Don't Vote.
Message: I don't care about voting or who is in power
2. Vote, but leave the ballot blank/invalid
Message: I care about voting, but none of the candidates is good enough
3. Vote for someone
Message; I care about voting and am satisfied with the choices available.

2 is a very important message, as it shows politicians that there is space for another Party.

The very serious problem in the US is Voter Suppression.
This makes it seem like citizens don't care when they really do.

 

[ponderingturtle]

If you made voting compulsory, all that hassle goes away.

But then you would have to make it easier for the wrong people to vote, like blacks and the poor.

 

[Norman Alexander]

But then you would have to make it easier for the wrong people to vote, like blacks and the poor.

Uppity!

 

[Stacyhs]

Why?
You can still put in an invalid ballot..
No one is forcing you to vote For anyone.

I never said it's forcing you to vote for anyone.

Compulsory means required which is forcing you to vote or face a penalty...or at last go through the steps which is pointless if you just put in an invalid ballot. Why bother?

Looking at a list where voting is compulsory and enforced, it includes 10 countries: most of South America, Zaire, North Korea, Lichtenstein, and Australia. There are several countries where compulsory voting is not enforced.

 

[Norman Alexander]

I never said it's forcing you to vote for anyone.

Compulsory means required which is forcing you to vote or face a penalty...or at last go through the steps which is pointless if you just put in an invalid ballot. Why bother?
Looking at a list where voting is compulsory and enforced, it includes 10 countries: most of South America, Zaire, North Korea, Lichtenstein, and Australia. There are several countries where compulsory voting is not enforced.

Not really. The thinking goes "Well, since I am in the voting booth anyway, I may as well vote for someone I prefer. Or draw a dick and balls on my ballot, whatever."

 

[psionl0]

Yes. And so does a person's freedom to make their own decision to vote or not. I consistently vote, but the idea of being forced to vote is anathema to me.

Optional voting tends to favour the more conservative side of politics (poor and disadvantaged people tend to believe their vote won't make a difference).

 

[The Great Zaganza]

No, handing in an invalid ballot is absolutely Not pointless.

It's a strong signal that you are a Voter up for Grabs for the right candidate. Candidates will try to woe you.

Unlike not voting, which, at best, signals that candidates should ignore you.
But much more commonly, it tells candidates that they have to become more radical, more apocalyptic to mobilize you.

Not voting directly leads to radicalization.

 

[Trebuchet]

When I'm King of the World, there'll still be elections but every ballot will be required to include "None of the Above" as an option. Any candidate receiving fewer votes than NotA in any election is forever barred from running for any office.

 

[The Don]

When I'm King of the World, there'll still be elections but every ballot will be required to include "None of the Above" as an option. Any candidate receiving fewer votes than NotA in any election is forever barred from running for any office.

That will be the death knell for any party other than the main two or three.

 

[plague311]

That will be the death knell for any party other than the main two or three.

Huh? You sure about the math on that? I'm curious how you'd break that down.

 

[Norman Alexander]

No, handing in an invalid ballot is absolutely Not pointless. It's a strong signal that you are a Voter up for Grabs for the right candidate. Candidates will try to woe you.
Unlike not voting, which, at best, signals that candidates should ignore you.
But much more commonly, it tells candidates that they have to become more radical, more apocalyptic to mobilize you.

Not voting directly leads to radicalization.

Nope. Nobody but you knows it was actually you handing in a blank ballot. The ballot doesn't have your name on it. Not even the electoral officer knows. It counts only as an invalid vote. The only statistical value would be the overall count of invalid votes.

 

[Stacyhs]

People who have to be forced to vote aren't exactly the kind of people who put much, if any, thought into it. Just what we need: more ignorant, uninformed, can't be bothered people just putting their X next to whatever name they might recognize or has the right letter next to it.

If you think compulsory voting is great, fine. I don't.

 

[Norman Alexander]

People who have to be forced to vote aren't exactly the kind of people who put much, if any, thought into it. Just what we need: more ignorant, uninformed, can't be bothered people just putting their X next to whatever name they might recognize or has the right letter next to it.

If you think compulsory voting is great, fine. I don't.

That’s not how it works out, in real life. But I'm not going to argue with you about your misconceptions.

 

[The Don]

Huh? You sure about the math on that? I'm curious how you'd break that down.

Not necessarily sure but if half those people who don't vote vote NOTA then you'd need to poll at least 20% to avoid being banned from standing in perpetuity - only two or three parties can manage that.

 

[Mongrel]

Nope. Nobody but you knows it was actually you handing in a blank ballot. The ballot doesn't have your name on it. Not even the electoral officer knows. It counts only as an invalid vote. The only statistical value would be the overall count of invalid votes.

They can, if there's enough blank ballots that they think it's worth the time\money, get some local polling going and try to find out why people are feeling that disenfranchised or disillusioned.