Should voting be compulsory?

Luminous

After a particularly divisive referendum is it time to make voting a legal requirement?

( please don't argue over Brexit here, there are a few open threads for that 0

I believe that its time to implement mandatory voting.

Sporky

Only if they add a box to everything that lets you indicate that you don't like any of the options. I know you can spoil a ballot, but that doesn't register any difference between not wanting to choose any of the options and just liking writing swears on things.

But I do think that compulsory voting has merit.

axisus

I think 100% not! 

What is this, big brother? If people don't want to vote it is up to them. It's freedom of choice.

crunchman

No.

How would you monitor it and enforce it?  Are you going to waste police and court time chasing up non-voters and punishing them?

What happens to someone who has a valid reason for not voting?  For example they get rushed into hospital the day before.  Or people who are out of the country for 6 months?

The practicalities and expense of enforcing it are a non-starter for me.

Also, people who are that disengaged from the process that they don't vote at the moment probably wouldn't know enough about the issues to vote sensibly anyway.

ESchap

I think the UK should have a referendum on this.

fretmeister

Yes.

But with an official "none of the above" box on every ballot.

DaevidJ

No... It is not necessarily the electorates fault that the system of governance in this country is fubar...

I would like it if politicians are held more to account...

MrBump

There are other things to fix first - like properly representative elections.

Nikko

No. Voting should remain a 'right', and not mandatory. If it had to be mandatory that everyone put a cross in a box, then a "None of the above" option should be given, as has been mentioned above.

Luminous

I agree with the " none of the above " option.

If we can enforce being tax registered we can enforce voting I believe.

quarky

I don't have strong feelings either way, but I would lean towards "yes". In a democracy, I think people have a responsibility to vote, and too many sit on the sidelines, don't vote, and moan.

People can still always spoil their ballot paper.

Nitefly

Yes, +1 for the "None of the above" option.

As I pointed out in some other thread(s), no time or effort need be "wasted" chasing no-shows - count them as in favour of the status quo, whatever that is.  Thus, no-shows in the recent referendum would be counted as Remain (since we're already in the EU).

 

*edit: if you want change, you have to make it happen!

Sporky

I like to think that compulsory voting would result in people taking a greater interest in how the country is run.

I'm keenly aware that I may be deluding myself in that.

Cirrus

Nah, I don't think it should be compulsory. Lack of turnout IS a problem but I don't think the solution is to make it the law - in a free society people should have the right to choose whether or not they participate.

However, I do think something is wrong that so many people choose not to participate. Apathy is a problem with society at large, and the blame can't be laid at the feet of the politicians alone.

Fretwired

axisus said:

I think 100% not! 

What is this, big brother? If people don't want to vote it is up to them. It's freedom of choice.

^^

This.

It's a free country. If you don't want to vote that's fine.

Clarky

not voting like a tit just to stick it to the man should be compulsory

punishable by death by bonga

Evilmags

Not voting might well be the most ethical thing to do. If you don't feel you have a grip on the issues, maybe better not to vote. Their are some pretty dim people out their. 

Chalky

Sporky;1137873" said:

I like to think that compulsory voting would result in people taking a greater interest in how the country is run.

I'm keenly aware that I may be deluding myself in that.

Not sure that the evidence from Australia bears that out does it? Only one Aussie source but he said they just vaguely agree what to vote as a couple or family or group of friends instead. Passive indifference rather than debate. No worries.

Sporky

Chalky said:

Sporky;1137873" said:

I like to think that compulsory voting would result in people taking a greater interest in how the country is run.

I'm keenly aware that I may be deluding myself in that.

Not sure that the evidence from Australia bears that out does it? Only one Aussie source but he said they just vaguely agree what to vote as a couple or family or group of friends instead. Passive indifference rather than debate. No worries.

I did say I might be deluding myself. I gather it works fairly well in Switzerland, but Switzerland and Oz and the UK are different places in many ways.

merlin

If one believes in Freedom over Democracy, then there is no need to make voting mandatory. However, if one believes that Democracy can only be achieved if 100% of those eligible to vote do so, and one wants true Democracy, then it ought to be mandatory. 

BigMonka

I don't think that compulsory voting will make people more interested, it'll just end up being like me buying a bottle of wine - the only thing I've really got to base my decision on (within the price bracket) is the name and the label. It will almost encourage people to make uninformed decisions rather than those that don't know or don't care just staying at home.

It's like the recent referendum, anyone who cared about the outcome voted - why we should we care what the others think, they ignored their chance to have a say.