Mandatory Voting and You.

[gunder401]

I definitely don't believe in compulsory voting. I live in the US, so I don't ever come across that exactly.

 

On a related note, there is this sense that as an American of age, you should feel obligated to vote. Particularly now, around the presidential election, there are people EVERYWHERE with clipboards, asking if you've registered to vote. If I tell them I don't support either candidate (my friend tells them he is does not support our system of government and refuses to endorse it) I often encounter people who are offended by my refusal to vote. I guess the argument is that you should support whoever is "better," even if you don't fully back any candidate. Any thoughts?

[hrtbrk]

It's rare that someone backs every single policy offered or suggested by a candidate (there's more than two, by the way... I'm not even American and I know that lol.)

 

Most people decide their vote based on what they agree with the most because they don't want what the other candidates are offering to happen.

[karmacow]

I definitely don't believe in compulsory voting. I live in the US, so I don't ever come across that exactly.

 

On a related note, there is this sense that as an American of age, you should feel obligated to vote. Particularly now, around the presidential election, there are people EVERYWHERE with clipboards, asking if you've registered to vote. If I tell them I don't support either candidate (my friend tells them he is does not support our system of government and refuses to endorse it) I often encounter people who are offended by my refusal to vote. I guess the argument is that you should support whoever is "better," even if you don't fully back any candidate. Any thoughts?

 

If I were you, I'd register to vote and then put in an empty ballot. Because that makes the distinction that you were not too lazy/indifferent to go vote, but that you object to all candidates.

[gunder401]

It's rare that someone backs every single policy offered or suggested by a candidate (there's more than two, by the way... I'm not even American and I know that lol.)

 

Most people decide their vote based on what they agree with the most because they don't want what the other candidates are offering to happen.

 

More than two for presidential candidates? That's what I was referring to. It just seems to me that that type of negative-voting (voting for what you don't want as opposed to voting for what you want) doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I'd rather abstain. It's not that I object to others doing that, I just would rather not do it myself.

[hrtbrk]

Voting for a candidate because the other candidate wants to raise taxes for the poor/middle class and take away women's rights seems like a good enough reason to vote for them lol

 

But, to each their own.

[Rebecca~]

Voting for a candidate because the other candidate wants to raise taxes for the poor/middle class and take away women's rights seems like a good enough reason to vote for them lol

 

But, to each their own.

I so wish I could like that. XD Yeah, I'm definitely with you on that!

[passiflora]

I support it 100%. I think if we (Canadians) were forced to vote, the current government would be different and we wouldn't have this giant [insert curse word of choice] in Parliament. It would be ground breaking, and a revolution.

 

Personally, I don't understand how it's such a burden do vote. Read a newspaper article. Watch the news for 10 minutes. View the party's website - they'll list their top priorities. See which one you identify with the most and go cast your ballot. It takes maybe 15 minutes out of your day and you don't have to think about it again for four years.

 

Similarly, I think they should go over this in school - and I don't mean 5th grade social studies where you learn what each party is.. you should learn about the current politicians, their current views and help set you up to vote.

 

If young voters are not voting, and continue this "trend" because they are too lazy (we all know that's the truth - if you don't think so, you are lying to yourself) to get involved, we're going to be in a lot of trouble.

 

People should be proud to vote and that they have a chance to support how they wish their country/province/state/town to be run.

I also believe voting and being a somewhat informed voter is the easiest thing in the world, but I still don't think that mandatory voting would cure the apathy of others. Canada's voting system can be a little discouraging - a few of my friends don't vote because our votes make absolutely 0 difference. I voted just to say I did, but I live in a very conservative area and the ridings are set up in a way that mix rural and urban, which further increases the conservative influence in the riding. Even if all the non-voters who support the Liberals or NDP voted, we'd still end up with a conservative. I guess it's fair in that 'majority rules', but it would be a lot nicer if there was a more representative way of doing things.

 

I've also heard people put forth the idea that voting age should be lowered to 16 - even though it's a small population that won't make that much of a difference, it's a huge incentive to teach it in high school and get kids involved from the start. I learned a lot about voting and Canadian politics in high school, and we did 'student votes', but I didn't really care about it much at the time because I couldn't actually vote.

 

 

Sorry for the novel - I guess I kind of brought up two separately debatable issues, but I just think there's better ways to cure voter apathy. :)

[hrtbrk]

I learned a lot about voting and Canadian politics in high school, and we did 'student votes', but I didn't really care about it much at the time because I couldn't actually vote.

That's encouraging! We did nothing of that sort and remember the first time my friends and I were eligible TO vote. We had no idea on what to do and everyone kept asking "DID YOU VOTE YET." Doing it the first time is the hardest part :D

 

 

I so wish I could like that. XD Yeah, I'm definitely with you on that!

Fun fact, you can ;)

[Rebecca~]

I also believe voting and being a somewhat informed voter is the easiest thing in the world, but I still don't think that mandatory voting would cure the apathy of others. Canada's voting system can be a little discouraging - a few of my friends don't vote because our votes make absolutely 0 difference. I voted just to say I did, but I live in a very conservative area and the ridings are set up in a way that mix rural and urban, which further increases the conservative influence in the riding. Even if all the non-voters who support the Liberals or NDP voted, we'd still end up with a conservative. I guess it's fair in that 'majority rules', but it would be a lot nicer if there was a more representative way of doing things.

 

I've also heard people put forth the idea that voting age should be lowered to 16 - even though it's a small population that won't make that much of a difference, it's a huge incentive to teach it in high school and get kids involved from the start. I learned a lot about voting and Canadian politics in high school, and we did 'student votes', but I didn't really care about it much at the time because I couldn't actually vote.

 

 

Sorry for the novel - I guess I kind of brought up two separately debatable issues, but I just think there's better ways to cure voter apathy. :)

Ugh, I'm with you. The riding I used to live in was VERY conservative as well. The guy that was in there had been there for ages, and there is no sign of him leaving at all. I have voted in every election I have been able to, just because I think it's important, but it was annoying that I felt like my vote had no impact. Now I'm living in a riding that is as staunchly NDP as my old one was Conservative! So my vote still has no real power, but at least a MP I like is getting in. :P

 

I would love to see the voter age lowered a bit- I think that would be fantastic for curing voter apathy. You can have legit debates in class over the politics of your local candidates, and stuff. That would have been fantastic when I was in school!

 

Fun fact, you can ;)

OMG I CAN! This is so exciting! -flails-

XD

[killakitten]

If you ask me, I think that's ridiculous..

[cornstar]

Personally, I see absolutely no purpose in enforcing mandatory voting. Those who care about politics and perhaps who is going to be the spokesperson will probably end up voting. Not to say that you do not care, but sometimes it does feel as an individual vote will not make a difference. For example in New York, there is no point voting for republican, because year after years and decades and centuries, New York had always been a Democrat state.

 

Also, mandatory voting will lead to voting for the wrong reasons such as voting for someone who you may not know about who may actually do you more harm than good.