I would like to take this opportunity...
Nov. 7th, 2012 07:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
highlyeccentricTo express my love of compulsory voting.
You citizen? YOU VOTE. Or we fine you a small amount of money. You can hand your form in blank or draw butts all over it if you like, but you hand the damn form in.
Positive consequences of this system:
- voting on Saturdays, when more people are free to do so
- everyone recognises the government and general public responsibility to ensure that everyone has access to voting systems. We're not perfect at implementing that (see also: ratio of wheelchair-accessible to other polling places; low registration rates of rural indigenous people) but, y'know, if you're going to fine people for not voting you assume its your job to make it possible for them to do so
- on a similar note, more efficient absentee voting systems
- comparatively less time and money spent convincing people to vote at all (we spend some time and money educating people on how to register, where and when to vote, but we don't have to whip up voter enthusiasm JUST TO GET PEOPLE TO THE POLLS). People trudge down there, ignore the spruikers, and write something on a form. Lo, democracy!
- 'voter fraud' isn't really a thing. Insofar as it might happen, it consists of people voting in multiple places: it's not possible to whip up fear of people voting who shouldn't vote, because EVERYONE DAMN WELL VOTES
TL;DR, compulsory voting, I like it. I would endorse it for more institutions (eg: student unions! I never vote in union elections, even though I should. If my ACCESS card were to be disabled if I didn't vote, I'd damn well vote. I might even form an opinion).
You citizen? YOU VOTE. Or we fine you a small amount of money. You can hand your form in blank or draw butts all over it if you like, but you hand the damn form in.
Positive consequences of this system:
- voting on Saturdays, when more people are free to do so
- everyone recognises the government and general public responsibility to ensure that everyone has access to voting systems. We're not perfect at implementing that (see also: ratio of wheelchair-accessible to other polling places; low registration rates of rural indigenous people) but, y'know, if you're going to fine people for not voting you assume its your job to make it possible for them to do so
- on a similar note, more efficient absentee voting systems
- comparatively less time and money spent convincing people to vote at all (we spend some time and money educating people on how to register, where and when to vote, but we don't have to whip up voter enthusiasm JUST TO GET PEOPLE TO THE POLLS). People trudge down there, ignore the spruikers, and write something on a form. Lo, democracy!
- 'voter fraud' isn't really a thing. Insofar as it might happen, it consists of people voting in multiple places: it's not possible to whip up fear of people voting who shouldn't vote, because EVERYONE DAMN WELL VOTES
TL;DR, compulsory voting, I like it. I would endorse it for more institutions (eg: student unions! I never vote in union elections, even though I should. If my ACCESS card were to be disabled if I didn't vote, I'd damn well vote. I might even form an opinion).
no subject
Date: 2012-11-06 11:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-07 06:01 am (UTC)If you get to a polling place and cast a blank ballot, fine, you've consciously made your choice to not make a choice. If you actually do have a preference but can't be bothered to make it to a polling place, that's not apathy, that's laziness (I'm not including people who for whatever reason can't make it to a polling place in that assessment, for the record). Laziness may be a valid choice too but at least call it what it is. And if you're really that committed to your laziness, fine, suck it up and pay the fairly small fine. In Australia I think it's about $20, which works out at £13. Or save your money and just go hand in a ballot.
And, as you said, if you have the opportunity to vote and don't take it, don't complain when politicians do things you don't like.
no subject
Date: 2012-11-07 11:14 am (UTC)I was having a big waffle over whether or not to vote in the Police and Crime Commissioner elections here in the UK, because I fundamentally don't think it's something the public should be voting on. I think it's a horrible idea that hasn't been thought through and won't work. But I'm going to turn up to the polling station, and I will cast my vote for the Least Awful Candidate. I considered spoiling my ballot, but it's a two horse race in my constituency and I would kick myself forever if the Most Awful Candidate won.
Right, precisely! There was a hilarious (well, only because it was laugh or cry) post somewhere on the internet with a whole load of people going "I don't want the government involved in any aspect of my life. I want them to leave me alone!" and I was just sat there going "well, you might want to move to a deserted island then. But don't drive to an airport because, you know, roads are to do with government. And you couldn't fly there either because of air-safety and such, and oh, the same for boats. And I'm guessing you won't want to send your kids to school, ever, or see a dentist or, oh, breathe because of clean air regulations. YOU IDIOT." And then I had to go and have a nap because I had raised my blood pressure so far!
no subject
Date: 2012-11-08 12:18 am (UTC)/sigh. Yeah, that whole attitude just BAFFLES me. Like, do you actually realise how much the government influences your life in all these tiny and convenient ways?
no subject
Date: 2012-11-08 12:35 pm (UTC)And then people, in my experience, do the "oh, but I didn't mean X Thing or Y Thing ..." gambit, and that's stupid as well.
no subject
Date: 2012-11-07 07:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-07 11:16 am (UTC)