Australian Politics Forum - Compulsory Voting

Johnsmith

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Re: Compulsory Voting
Reply #15 - Apr 20^th, 2012 at 11:12am

falah wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 11:09am:

What would happen if compulsory voting was dropped?

We would probably end like the US where a large portion of voters are motivated by strange ideas, and the more normal people do not bother to vote.

Are US politicians better than Australian politicians?

http://scrapetv.com/News/Images/george%20bush%20looking%20stupid.jpg

Falah ... Is that a photo of Abbott? or his brother?

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When politicians offer you something for nothing, or something that sounds too good to be true, it's always worth taking a careful second look.
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JasonPK

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Re: Compulsory Voting
Reply #16 - Apr 20^th, 2012 at 12:03pm

Australia's voter turnouts are only 81% once the non-registered voters are taken into account. And the turnout is probably a lot less than this given the high proportion of donkey and informal votes. Our voter turnouts (at 81%) are lower than many countries where voting is voluntary including Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Malta. Only 10 countries in the world enforce compulsory voting and they are not countries we'd want to emulate. Our decision to vote should be democratic.

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Sir Spot of Borg

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Re: Compulsory Voting
Reply #17 - Apr 20^th, 2012 at 12:24pm

Uncle Meat wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 10:53am:

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 10:45am:

Off topic I know but what put me off voting in australia was the futility. We have had 2 PMs now that just "stepped in"when they werent voted for ...

They were voted for. All perfectly legitimate.

The general public does not elect the PM. This is a good thing.

This is Australia, not the US. The PM and POTUS are completely different.

Your vote was not a futile effort: you voted for your local member. Is your local member still in his/her seat?

I did not vote for my local member. The person I voted for never got near the seat. the media and govt - whoever it is does the deciding - decided long ago who would be there.

A story or parable or whatever (but true):
There was an election @ my HS one time for School captain. There was only 1 person running though and the teachers decided that wasnt fair so we had to choose someone else to run against him.

We allgot together and discussed it and decided to pick a kinda dumb kid that the other guy could use as a puppet. He would tell him what to do and actually run things behind the scenes (just like in real life!). Well we all agreed to vote for the dumb kid (who pretty much knew what was going on) and off we went.

Election done. Teacher comes out to announce the winner. Opens the envelope. Does a doubletake and rushes off the stage for a while to confer with other teachers. They come back and say that our choice wasnt suitable and the original guy is school captain.

This is what happens in politics. Just look @ garrett.

SOB

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progressiveslol

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Re: Compulsory Voting
Reply #18 - Apr 20^th, 2012 at 12:28pm

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 12:24pm:

Uncle Meat wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 10:53am:

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 10:45am:

Off topic I know but what put me off voting in australia was the futility. We have had 2 PMs now that just "stepped in"when they werent voted for ...

They were voted for. All perfectly legitimate.

The general public does not elect the PM. This is a good thing.

This is Australia, not the US. The PM and POTUS are completely different.

Your vote was not a futile effort: you voted for your local member. Is your local member still in his/her seat?

I did not vote for my local member. The person I voted for never got near the seat.

SOB

Voting for your mum or dad does not count.

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Uncle Meat

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Re: Compulsory Voting
Reply #19 - Apr 20^th, 2012 at 12:28pm

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 12:24pm:

I did not vote for my local member. The person I voted for never got near the seat.

SOB

OK. You voted for the candidate who you wanted to be your local member. That's what you were voting for on that Saturday: you were not voting for a Prime Minister.

Your local candidates were on your ballot paper, not Kevin Rudd (running as PM).

The general public does not vote for PM. This is good.

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Sir Spot of Borg Gold Member Offline WE ARE BORG Posts: 26589 Australia	Re: Compulsory Voting Reply #20 - Apr 20^th, 2012 at 12:31pm Actually as i said before i dont vote. How many of the donkey votes and non-votes are for the same reason as me? That its corrupt and we shouldn't be forced to vote. If we weren't forced I might actually vote but its the principle. Why should i be forced? Yeah sorry I edited that post. You guys were too quick to reply. SOB
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progressiveslol Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 17029	Re: Compulsory Voting Reply #21 - Apr 20^th, 2012 at 12:35pm A non-compulsory voting system, is a system for minority control. I would bet my house that the numbers for the 'I couldn't be bothered voting' and the 'activists/minority' would be the activists/minority calling for non-compulsory over 2 to 1.
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Frances Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 3577 In a Castle in the Hills Gender:	Re: Compulsory Voting Reply #22 - Apr 20^th, 2012 at 12:40pm Uncle Meat wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 10:49am: We could have a vote. Compulsory, of course Which actually would be a good way of resolving the question once and for all....
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darkhall67

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Re: Compulsory Voting
Reply #23 - Apr 20^th, 2012 at 12:55pm

Voting for a politician is NOT compulsory.

If you dont want to vote for any of them leave your ballot slip blank, cover it with doodles, write rude words on it or write your manifesto.

What IS compulsory is turning up on election day , getting your name marked off and going into a booth with your ballot paper.

I have no problem with this system.

In societies that have voluntary voting it is the activists (on bOTH sides of the spectrum) that vote producing non-representative representatives that are beholden to their respective base and pander to them to get reelected.

Who wants nutters like the tea party in america setting the agenda?

It is the poor, uneducated and disenfranchised who dont vote. They feel that there is no point in voting as they are not cared about anyway so what's the point. Just a waste of time.

But these people are EXACTLY the type of people who must be represented in a society if the society isnt to become a plutocracy .

They may not WANT to vote but they SHOULD vote.

It's in their best interests and sometimes you have to legislate to make people do what's in their best interest.

Being in a democracy doesnt mean being able to do whatever we damn well want whenever we damn well feel like it. We have responsibilities as well as rights.

There is no contradiction in it being compulsory to vote in a democracy.

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Uncle Meat

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Re: Compulsory Voting
Reply #24 - Apr 20^th, 2012 at 1:11pm

darkhall67 wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 12:55pm:

Voting for a politician is NOT compulsory.

What IS compulsory is turning up on election day , getting your name marked off and going into a booth with your ballot paper.

Actually, that's incorrect.

There is case law on this matter.

"It is not the case, as some people have claimed, that it is only compulsory to attend the polling place and have your name marked off, and this has been upheld by a number of legal decisions:

•High Court 1926 – Judd v McKeon (1926) 38 CLR 380
•Supreme Court of Victoria 1970 – Lubcke v Little [1970] VR 807
•High Court 1971 – Faderson v Bridger (1971) 126 CLR 271
•Supreme Court of Queensland 1974 – Krosch v Springbell; ex parte
•Krosch [1974] QdR 107
•ACT Supreme Court 1981 – O'Brien v Warden (1981) 37 ACTR 13"

http://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/Publications/voting/index.htm

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Sir Spot of Borg Gold Member Offline WE ARE BORG Posts: 26589 Australia	Re: Compulsory Voting Reply #25 - Apr 20^th, 2012 at 1:13pm Its still stupid. Why go to all that trouble? Why not be civilised and make it non-compulsory? SOB
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darkhall67

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Re: Compulsory Voting
Reply #26 - Apr 20^th, 2012 at 1:50pm

Uncle Meat wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 1:11pm:

darkhall67 wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 12:55pm:

Voting for a politician is NOT compulsory.

What IS compulsory is turning up on election day , getting your name marked off and going into a booth with your ballot paper.

Actually, that's incorrect.

There is case law on this matter.

"It is not the case, as some people have claimed, that it is only compulsory to attend the polling place and have your name marked off, and this has been upheld by a number of legal decisions:

•High Court 1926 – Judd v McKeon (1926) 38 CLR 380
•Supreme Court of Victoria 1970 – Lubcke v Little [1970] VR 807
•High Court 1971 – Faderson v Bridger (1971) 126 CLR 271
•Supreme Court of Queensland 1974 – Krosch v Springbell; ex parte
•Krosch [1974] QdR 107
•ACT Supreme Court 1981 – O'Brien v Warden (1981) 37 ACTR 13"

http://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/Publications/voting/index.htm

Fair enough.

But I did say "getting your name marked off and going into a booth with your ballot paper."

Once that is done no-one is allowed to look at your ballot paper. When you come out of the booth you can put it in the box and be on your merry way. No0-one can stop you if you have written rude words or your manifesto on it.

You are not forced to vote for someone.

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darkhall67 Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 1935	Re: Compulsory Voting Reply #27 - Apr 20^th, 2012 at 1:51pm Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 1:13pm: Its still stupid. Why go to all that trouble? Why not be civilised and make it non-compulsory? SOB It's to do with having responsibilities. Responsibilities arent meant to be fun or easy.
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Sir Spot of Borg

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Re: Compulsory Voting
Reply #28 - Apr 20^th, 2012 at 1:56pm

darkhall67 wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 1:51pm:

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 1:13pm:

Its still stupid. Why go to all that trouble? Why not be civilised and make it non-compulsory?

SOB

It's to do with having responsibilities.

Responsibilities arent meant to be fun or easy.

No. Its not "having responsibilities". Its being forced to do something by a govt. If it were a responsibility it wouldn't be mandatory.

SOB

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Uncle Meat Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 2434 Tasmania Gender:	Re: Compulsory Voting Reply #29 - Apr 20^th, 2012 at 2:25pm Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 1:56pm: No. Its not "having responsibilities". Its being forced to do something by a govt. If it were a responsibility it wouldn't be mandatory. Yep, governments do that.
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Poll
Question: Should Voting be Compulsory in Australia?
Yes 7 (43.8%) No 9 (56.2%) Total votes: 16 « Created by: Sir Spot of Borg on: Apr 20^th, 2012 at 8:35am »