Should Voting Be Optional in Australia ?

[admin]

A pretty straightforward one.

My opinion ? No, it should be compulsory.

Political decisions affect you, so you should vote for what party and its policies you support. When they stuff up, you can then say "I voted for these idiots" and change your vote next time if you think there is a better option.

Many countries have optional voting, however I think it leads to more and more idiocy of parties trying to "buy" your vote from you. Having said that, we have a very populist opposition in Federal power who will promise anything to be elected.

Your thoughts ? There is no right answer here of course.

[alpha0ne]

Yes, it must be, otherwise we might end up with a system similar to what they have in the US.................................ohhh wait !!!!!!

[admin]

I just edited the responses as the question and answers were confusing.

[exited]

Voted unsure: It's compulsory to turn up to the ballot box. Not compulsory to actually vote.

So either way I don't think it makes much difference.

If it goes online the choice to donkey out might be removed. That might be interesting.

Anyone know if other countries have online voting?

[enf]

I voted yes. There was a time when I would have said no, but experience has shown me that people need a bit of a rocket up their collective arses to do something.

You don't have to vote anyway, but if you HAVE to attend, you may as well....

The reality is that 48% give or take vote for football teams anyway, and a few swinging voters decide the issue. I am one of these....good or bad. The fact that I no longer have ANY faith in either side makes it easier to decide whats in it for me, an attitude that mimicks our politicians anyway.

[gordon_s1942]

Its only compulsory to have your name marked off the role but not to actually mark the ballot form in any way.

In a perfect situation, voting should not be compulsory but I remember when they made Council elections non compulsory and I dont think the got 40 % turnout.

My attitude is if you DONT Vote, you get the Government you deserve.
I know this is countered by saying that people could still turn up and either not mark the form or its not done properly but I believe that once the person has got to the ballot box, they will fill out the form correctly.
I am basing this thought after being a scrutineer and seeing the ballot papers after they were removed from the Ballot box's and how few were either blank, defaced or a genuine error to make them Informal.
All you get after the count is how many were classed as Informal, not WHY they were !!!
Informal includes Blank, Scribbled on, marked with a X instead of a tick, numbers incorrect, 1,2,3,3 4,5, OR 1,2,4,5,6...A,B.C instead of numbers.

Keep voting, at least when things go wrong (and they do) you can stand up to the Jerk you elected, you aint voting for them again.

[gamve]

I will vote when there is someone worth voting for.......I will never have to vote as politicians are all a bunch
of self serving thieves. How can you vote for someone who is not a politician?

[Neddie]

Australians are generally very apathetic about most things, without compulsory voting the voter turnout probably will be very low. We already have a problem with crooks getting into politics, with voluntary voting it is likely that it will only be crooks voting and electing even worse crooks into parliament or the council.

However I believe that we need another option on the voting paper, this is that we should have a "None of the above" option. Often the whole lot of candidates are 'wishy washy' or crooked, why must we be forced to vote for anyone we don't want.

I can see such an option causing potential problems, my way of handling this is - if the "None of the above" gets the majority of votes, none are elected, the parties are told to come up with new candidates, and are present with a bill for the cost of the new election. These measures may force parties to present us with worthy candidates.

[lsemmens]

Not a bad idea, Neddie. I did vote optional, however, I'd go so far as to suggest that we vote for a Board of directors who then appoint a CEO to run the country, just like any other big company. You fail to perform, you are out of a job.

[madtech]

I to am in favour of compulsory, but with the addition of 'None of the above' as an option. The rules for this is that if None of the above gets more than its average percentage the seat to be recalled with none of the original candidates allowed to recontest the seat. eg if 3 candidates + none of the above (4 options) if none of the above gets more than 25% of the vote then seat recalled etc.
I like Neddies idea of making the failed candidates responsible for the cost of the rerun election.
Also all donations should be banned, be they from private individuals, developers, unions, business etc. Each candidate should be given an amount that they can spend, that MUST be accounted for. If they spend more then the candidate themselves has to pay the treasury 10 x the overspend amount.

[Rick]

I voted No, because regardless your vote the bastards do what they want anyway

[Reschs]

If it is optional, only the Minority Groups will lobby up and win.

[tristen]

I have always found we Australians to be a very apathetic lot in general.

I agree that without compulsory voting a large proportion of the populace would fail to vote, due mainly to laziness or lack of interest.

Having talked to many people from overseas countries, including some where political corruption is a way of life, education, justice and health services, to name a few, are available only to the rich and influentual, I have come to realise just how fortunate we are to live where we do, geographically and politically.

I value my (Australian) way of life and consider it a privilege to be able to have a say in what political group governs this magnificent land where I have been born, raised, educated, employed and lived a generally fulfilling life.

With privilege comes responsibility.

Don't ignore or throw away your right to vote through disillusionment, apathy, ignorance or laziness.

The day could very well come when what you currently consider to be an imposition will be denied to you.

Read, listen, learn and educate yourself politically in order to have your say while you are able to!

[Uncle Fester]

Not compulsory, with those not turning up counted as NONE OF THE ABOVE.
So if we get 30% blue and 30% red and 40% did not vote, they have to keep doing it again until more people become motivated to vote.

Our politicians need to earn our vote.
Right now there is not even a lesser evil to vote, there is NOBODY (who has a chance of getting the numbers) worthy of my vote.

WE should get a paper where we choose on issues that need to be addressed, including our own suggestions and not a couple of f@$*kwit parties.

I HATE ALL THIS RIGHT-LEFT SHIT.

[admin]

If it is optional, only the Minority Groups will lobby up and win.

THIS. IN CAPITAL LETTERS.

We would have more leftist lunacy than what we already have.

[admin]

I have always found we Australians to be a very apathetic lot in general.

I agree that without compulsory voting a large proportion of the populace would fail to vote, due mainly to laziness or lack of interest.

Having talked to many people from overseas countries, including some where political corruption is a way of life, education, justice and health services, to name a few, are available only to the rich and influentual, I have come to realise just how fortunate we are to live where we do, geographically and politically.

I value my (Australian) way of life and consider it a privilege to be able to have a say in what political group governs this magnificent land where I have been born, raised, educated, employed and lived a generally fulfilling life.

With privilege comes responsibility.

Don't ignore or throw away your right to vote through disillusionment, apathy, ignorance or laziness.

The day could very well come when what you currently consider to be an imposition will be denied to you.

Read, listen, learn and educate yourself politically in order to have your say while you are able to!

Very well said tristen !

Imagine living in a country where you dont even get to vote and just have a loony despot running the country with his military.

Thank god we got rid of Kevin Rudd in time.

[peteramjet]

I'd go so far as to suggest that we vote for a Board of directors who then appoint a CEO to run the country, just like any other big company. You fail to perform, you are out of a job.

Not so different to the current system, really. The leader of a political party (ie CEO) is selected by the members (ie the Board) and we vote for those members to sit in parliament. They don’t (or shouldn’t) get re-elected if they fail to perform.

[mtv]

I think we all should have our say, whatever that is, so compulsory for me.

Unfortunately, we all tend to just vote for the most convincing liars at the time.

They all deliberately lie and make false promises.

[Guiseppe]

With my signature my thoughts are obvious. To improve the system the following needs to be done:

1. No compulsory voting. There have to be conditions of course like the winning party has to win a majority whether that is in their own right or a coalition, etc., etc.

2. Get rid of the preferential voting system. Unless you are very lucky and your 1# candidate wins then all you are doing, in reality, is voting for either of the two major parties because that candidate gives his/her preferences to either one.

3. Mandatory fixed terms. None of this, "We are on the crest of the wave so we will have an election and get another full term."

[Tiny]

I voted no, + 100% what tristen said post #13