Voting should be compulsory for young people taking part in a general election for the first time, according to a report published on Monday by the Institute for Public Policy Research.
Voting should not be compulsory for anyone. I realise that Australia has this egregious legislation, but that doesn’t mean that we have to follow it. The whole point of a democratic process is that we can withhold our vote as well as cast it. Yes, sure, we can spoil our paper, but nothing drives home our disconnect than mass staying away. It gets them worried and so it should. Not that they have done the decent thing and all fallen on their swords. They just assume in their arrogance and conceit, that we haven’t got their message.
We got it alright and staying away is our message.
Sarah Birch, a co-author, said: “First-time compulsory voting could well be very effective in engaging young people in politics. There are many other things that young people are required to do, not the least of which is go to school.
Yes, because force is so good at engaging people…. Jeebus!
I have to say I agree with you LR.
Making them vote is not the answer My eldest son (now 26) asked me to proxy vote for him because he is in the army if he does not do this his vote automatically goes to the government of the day, which 99% of soldiers dont know and the government keep very quiet about. Because of his job he is very politically aware where as my daughter aged 21 was old enough to vote last time and is not politically aware even though she has grown up in a house where politics is discussed often she shows little or no interest. I asked her would she be voting “Nah mum waste of time, anyhoo I will be at work all day”.
When I helpfully pointed out she really should use her vote and that polling stations were open early till late she said. “Look mumsy, I am not being mean or anything but it’s not for me and anyway I don’t want to get up at 5 when I didn’t get in till 1am and I am working at 10am just to go to a poxy voting thing!”
“If it’s so important you go for me, you do it for Nige”
So forcing them to vote is a bloody waste of time, 2 children same upbringing totally opposing views, the youngest was not old enough to vote last time so who knows which way he will wobble at the next General when he will be old enough.
You can’t make them it’s futile if they don’t even know what they are voting for…….
As usual practical aspects are overlooked. To be eligible to vote you have to be on the electoral register. So the first compulsion will be to make young people register.
Many young people are transient so it is difficult for them to be included on household returns for the electoral register.
Many young people don’t bother to register to vote because they aren’t interested, making voting compulsory is most likely to encourage fewer young people even to register.
So what’s next, we have the Electoral Police knocking on doors checking house occupants against the electoral register, stopping young people in the street, on ‘uni’ campus, snooping on Facebook and Twitter, or where ever young people gather demanding to see birth certificates or ”ID”?
I recently had a situation where I could not register on the electoral roll through advice from women’s aid, I am currently still not registered and need to rectify this situation.
As we are due to move shortly it will be easier and registration will be possible.
I always used to register my children because to me voting is so important, but as explained in my previous comment not all my children feel the same way.
I personally believe any attempt to force the young to vote is a mistake it could cause a backlash rather than have the desired effect, and I for one don’t want electoral roll police at my door.
Mind you the youngsters seem less concerned about the big brother society we are heading for, I suppose because they have been brought up with CCTV cameras watching their every move and having to be on every fecking list going.
But that’s another whole can of worms. 😉
Don’t give ’em ideas 😐
I don’t think that “they” are particularly bothered about the non-voters, just as long as their core voters turn out and they get elected. There are already seats where the non-voters exceed the majority of the elected candidate who in any case may have fewer votes than the total votes of his / her opponents. It will only get worse …
So the Australian way of “compulsory” voting, which does allow people to claim exemption, may be a good idea after all, especially if there is a box for “None of the above”.
In addition, is there any reason why we cannot vote on-line? It is secure enough to move money around, so why not votes?
And whilst we are bringing the system up to date – the vast majority of people are either “on the system” as tax payers or benefit recipients so we could use that data to do away with filling in Voter Registration Forms, etc, etc.
My problem with voting online is, would it be truly secure, as has been proven many times money transfers online are not that safe and subject to hijack and fraud.Anyone could be anyone if you see what I mean, and to me thats just pandering to the lazy, I suppose if it got more people voting it would be a good thing, but I think the disaffected will always find an excuse not to participate 🙂
I think Guy Fawkes had the right idea (THATS A JOKE for any big brother agency reading this comment).
Guy Fawkes was the only man to enter parliament with honest intentions. Old joke, but still true.
It’s now a criminal offence not to be on the Electoral Register. 18/24 months inside/£10,000 fine from memory of the threatening letters they sent me. Whether or not I’ve registered, well….
The trouble with not voting is as said above, they really won’t care a damn, so long as theres enough votes to declare a winner thats enough under our shambles of a anti democratic system.
I don’t particulary want disinterested children voting, or doing anything adult to be honest, there’s enough so called adults not able to see through or past the propaganda, wouldn’t the liblabcon love it, a whole army of youngsters prime for brainwashing into voting as they would be guided by their pop and celebrity anti heroes, sod that.
Disinterested youth voting really would be the bitter end of the election as we know it, christ help us all if they think winston Churchill was a fictional character, they would all be voting for one direction or Justin Bibboy.
I think I shall need another lie down in a dark room with an ice pack at that thought Judd 😀
Kath, its only reading and being allowed to waffle my daft comments on these marvellous blogs that keeps me from going completely bloody insane.
How the hell i haven’t taken to bloody drink i shall never know.
Every day another gem or several comes up, and as usual i mutter ‘thats it i’ve heard it all now’…without bloody fail another piece of lunacy with a politician at the back of it surfaces within minutes to trump the last bugger…theres just no end to it.
Actually DEAD WRONG
There should be two mandatory requirements:
ONE: Everybody shall be enrolled to vote & voting is compulsory.
AT THE SAME TIME
TWO: All voting forms must contain a box labelled: “None of the above”
If this wins, then all candidates are disbarred for the next round & we try again ….
Could be interesting?
If they made voting compulsory, I would refuse to vote and refuse to pay any fines. The whole point of liberty is that includes the freedom to not vote should one so wish.