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Should voting be a legal requirement?

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    uniqueunique Posts: 12,471
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    no, because so many people don't have a clue about the parties and what they stand for. it's bad enough that folk like that do vote now without introducing more people who don't know and don't care, who could end up voting in parties like UKIP or BNP as a protest vote

    in addition to that, there are many people who don't like any of the current parties so don't want to support them

    a spoiler vote is just a waste of time, so it's better avoiding all the situations above by letting people have a democratic right not to vote, and not force them to do things they don't want to do and don't know about which can only lead to problems

    it's just a stupid idea that's not been thought out properly
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    PrestonAlPrestonAl Posts: 10,342
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    That's an illogical "argument".

    The same types of people vote every time, so the same sort of MP's get elected.

    If everyone voted, it would give a better chance to other parties to get in.

    why would forcing people to vote produce any different result? Are you saying all those who don't vote would vote for a different party?

    Polling with a 1000 people, give a 3% margin of error. You could say 10000 people is more than enough to get a clear vote done. The rest can watch TV and be happy not caring if Nick Clegg is in Bed with Ed Miliband or not.
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    Deleted_User381237831Deleted_User381237831 Posts: 7,902
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    Considering people fought for the right to vote.
    Should voting in an election be compulsory?

    Yes. 100%

    Fine or prison for non-compliance
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    itscoldoutsideitscoldoutside Posts: 3,190
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    unique wrote: »
    no, because so many people don't have a clue about the parties and what they stand for. it's bad enough that folk like that do vote now without introducing more people who don't know and don't care, who could end up voting in parties like UKIP or BNP as a protest vote

    in addition to that, there are many people who don't like any of the current parties so don't want to support them

    a spoiler vote is just a waste of time, so it's better avoiding all the situations above by letting people have a democratic right not to vote, and not force them to do things they don't want to do and don't know about which can only lead to problems

    it's just a stupid idea that's not been thought out properly

    The BNP will soon cease to exist.

    UKIP is not anything to do with them, and is in third place nationally.
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    itscoldoutsideitscoldoutside Posts: 3,190
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    PrestonAl wrote: »
    why would forcing people to vote produce any different result? Are you saying all those who don't vote would vote for a different party?

    Polling with a 1000 people, give a 3% margin of error. You could say 10000 people is more than enough to get a clear vote done. The rest can watch TV and be happy not caring if Nick Clegg is in Bed with Ed Miliband or not.

    I am saying they might.
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    PrestonAlPrestonAl Posts: 10,342
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    I am saying they might.

    You would certainly get something different if you only allowed 1 random person to vote from each constituency. Wouldn't that solve both your problem and mine?
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    itscoldoutsideitscoldoutside Posts: 3,190
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    PrestonAl wrote: »
    You would certainly get something different if you only allowed 1 random person to vote from each constituency. Wouldn't that solve both your problem and mine?

    I don't get the point of that statement.
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    mungobrushmungobrush Posts: 9,332
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    moox wrote: »
    Australia has it one day, but on the weekend IIRC. They have compulsory voting with a fairly low tax ($25?) for not doing so

    That not strictly correct

    You have to turn up to a polling station and get a ballot paper
    You have to put the ballot paper in the voting box
    But you don't have to write anything on to it.

    So you can cover the voting paper with obscenities if you want to, or just leave it blank.
    These are counted as spoiled ballot papers.
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    PrestonAlPrestonAl Posts: 10,342
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    I don't get the point of that statement.

    allow 1 random person to vote for each constituency. Wouldn't that give you more chance a different party would get in?

    That way only 1 person is forced to vote, giving the rest of us time to watch emmerdale in peace without politicians knocking at our door disturbing us.
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    itscoldoutsideitscoldoutside Posts: 3,190
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    PrestonAl wrote: »
    allow 1 random person to vote for each constituency. Wouldn't that give you more chance a different party would get in?

    That way only 1 person is forced to vote, giving the rest of us time to watch emmerdale in peace without politicians knocking at our door disturbing us.

    Yes, but then how could anyone elected claim to have the backing of the people. (And they do this occasionally).
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    PrestonAlPrestonAl Posts: 10,342
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    Yes, but then how could anyone elected claim to have the backing of the people. (And they do this occasionally).

    How would 33% of the population voting Labour mean they have the backing of the people. You need to change the voting system for that.
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    itscoldoutsideitscoldoutside Posts: 3,190
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    PrestonAl wrote: »
    How would 33% of the population voting Labour mean they have the backing of the people. You need to change the voting system for that.

    No, because if each person has been given the chance to vote, what ever the outcome they can say the people have chosen it.

    Whereas if everyone had to vote, the people really will have chosen it.
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    Max LoveMax Love Posts: 358
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    People fought for the right for democratic vote. But also the right not to vote.
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    PrestonAlPrestonAl Posts: 10,342
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    No, because if each person has been given the chance to vote, what ever the outcome they can say the people have chosen it.

    Whereas if everyone had to vote, the people really will have chosen it.

    Isn't forcing people to do things they don't wish to do wrong? Sounds like coercion just to say "Everyone voted, so it must be good".

    Wouldn't it be better to actually have a voting system that makes people want to vote? rather than threaten them with Torture or Jail?
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    itscoldoutsideitscoldoutside Posts: 3,190
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    PrestonAl wrote: »
    Isn't forcing people to do things they don't wish to do wrong? Sounds like coercion just to say "Everyone voted, so it must be good".

    Wouldn't it be better to actually have a voting system that makes people want to vote? rather than threaten them with Torture or Jail?

    But you could say that about anything, you could say we force people to dress, we force people to get a passport if they want to leave the UK, we force people to obey laws.

    They would be fined if they did not vote, no torture of jail.

    What voting system would make people want to vote?
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    allaortaallaorta Posts: 19,050
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    PrestonAl wrote: »
    They went to war to vote? or went to war because people in power made them?

    The expression you're looking for is "cannon fodder" because that's what it was, with most of the medals for those who remained in the bunker shouting, "Charge".
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    PrestonAlPrestonAl Posts: 10,342
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    But you could say that about anything, you could say we force people to dress, we force people to get a passport if they want to leave the UK, we force people to obey laws.

    They would be fined if they did not vote, no torture of jail.

    What voting system would make people want to vote?

    I'm not forced to dress. I'm sat here now in my y-fronts.

    What if I can't pay the fine?

    Perhaps one that allows you to vote for a party you believe in? Rather than against one you don't. The current system is broken, no one wants to vote, no one cares and everyone knows nothing really changes. Blue/Red it's all the same.
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    itscoldoutsideitscoldoutside Posts: 3,190
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    PrestonAl wrote: »
    I'm not forced to dress. I'm sat here now in my y-fronts.

    What if I can't pay the fine?

    Perhaps one that allows you to vote for a party you believe in? Rather than against one you don't. The current system is broken, no one wants to vote, no one cares and everyone knows nothing really changes. Blue/Red it's all the same.

    You can vote for whoever you want, Liberals used to be in power long ago, then the mood changed to Labour, it will change again.

    But you can't walk down the street in y fronts for long can you?

    People in this country would prefer Russia's system, I swear it.
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    smudges dadsmudges dad Posts: 36,989
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    How did you set up a poll?

    I think it should be made a legal requirement, although Im not sure how it could be enforced, fines?

    When starting a thread there are 3 boxes at the bottom of the page and one of them has a tick box for starting a poll.

    Use sparingly!
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    itscoldoutsideitscoldoutside Posts: 3,190
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    When starting a thread there are 3 boxes at the bottom of the page and one of them has a tick box for starting a poll.

    Use sparingly!
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    I don't get that.:(
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    TassiumTassium Posts: 31,639
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    It's a mistaken understanding as to how you get to a good result.

    i.e:
    Something is good, and/or important = so force people to do it!

    It has to be said it's quite a New Labour approach.

    When it comes to these things the "how" of it is as important as the final result.
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    ZaphodskiZaphodski Posts: 4,687
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    Yes, however a 'none of the above' option must be available and a proper course of action detailed to cater for 'none of the above' winning.
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    TassiumTassium Posts: 31,639
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    This sort of illogic is behind Labour's laws that forced people not to talk about certain things, on pain of prison.

    Not only is it wrong it masks the problem, which eventually bursts through anyway in interesting UKIPPY ways. As we are currently seeing.
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    OLD HIPPY GUYOLD HIPPY GUY Posts: 28,199
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    Tassium wrote: »
    This sort of illogic is behind Labour's laws that forced people not to talk about certain things, on pain of prison.

    Not only is it wrong it masks the problem, which eventually bursts through anyway in interesting UKIPPY ways. As we are currently seeing.

    What law would this be then?
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    TassiumTassium Posts: 31,639
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    What law would this be then?

    Racial/Religious hatred.
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