4 ms·

Mandatory voting is common in many places outside of the US, but I feel like it's something that can lead down a dangerous path. You shouldn't be compelled to c

Mandatory voting is common in many places outside of the US, but I feel like it's something that can lead down a dangerous path. You shouldn't be compelled to choose a leader if you disapprove of the choices, I think that's a freedom I think everyone deserves.

wastedhours 10y ago
In mandatory voting systems do you have to actually vote? Or just turn up and submit a ballot paper, whether filled in, empty or spoiled?
- smspillaz 10y ago
  A ballot paper that doesn't clearly indicate preference order or identifies the voter is counted as "informal" and removed from the pool [0]. I don't believe it is an offence to vote informally but even if it was the anonyminity of the ballot woult make it impossible to enforce. In the last Federal Election the overall informal vote share was about 5.92%. In some electorates it was above 10% [1]. The AEC doesn't distinguish between votes that were intentionally invalid and votes that were unintentionally invalid. I used to work as an electoral officer and in my experience the latter usually far outweighed the former. I saw very few if any ballots that were totally blank, about 10-15 where the person tried to make a statement of some sort and the rest were people who did not understand the instructions and number every box. As far as I can tell, elections in Australia are seen as something you don't really ignore despite your individual disdain for politics. [0] http://www.aec.gov.au/voting/informal_voting/ http://www.aec.gov.au/voting/informal_voting/ [1] http://www.aec.gov.au/voting/informal_voting/division.htm http://www.aec.gov.au/voting/informal_voting/division.htm
XorNot 10y ago
You're not compelled to choose. You're compelled to cast a ballot. Which can express disapproval for all choices.
- bsbechtel 10y ago
  Then what's the point? What value does that add besides wasting the voter and the vote counter's time?
  - jhasse 10y ago
    That everyone's time get wasted. You don't have a disadvantage when you decide to actually vote.
    - bsbechtel 10y ago
      I should also add you aren't liable to be punished by your government for not voting.
Karunamon 10y ago
Every ballot for selecting representatives that I'm aware of has a write-in option, which renders the philosophical concern moot.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

wastedhours 10y ago

In mandatory voting systems do you have to actually vote? Or just turn up and submit a ballot paper, whether filled in, empty or spoiled?

smspillaz 10y ago
A ballot paper that doesn't clearly indicate preference order or identifies the voter is counted as "informal" and removed from the pool [0]. I don't believe it is an offence to vote informally but even if it was the anonyminity of the ballot woult make it impossible to enforce. In the last Federal Election the overall informal vote share was about 5.92%. In some electorates it was above 10% [1]. The AEC doesn't distinguish between votes that were intentionally invalid and votes that were unintentionally invalid. I used to work as an electoral officer and in my experience the latter usually far outweighed the former. I saw very few if any ballots that were totally blank, about 10-15 where the person tried to make a statement of some sort and the rest were people who did not understand the instructions and number every box. As far as I can tell, elections in Australia are seen as something you don't really ignore despite your individual disdain for politics. [0] http://www.aec.gov.au/voting/informal_voting/ http://www.aec.gov.au/voting/informal_voting/ [1] http://www.aec.gov.au/voting/informal_voting/division.htm http://www.aec.gov.au/voting/informal_voting/division.htm

XorNot 10y ago

You're not compelled to choose. You're compelled to cast a ballot. Which can express disapproval for all choices.

bsbechtel 10y ago
Then what's the point? What value does that add besides wasting the voter and the vote counter's time?
- jhasse 10y ago
  That everyone's time get wasted. You don't have a disadvantage when you decide to actually vote.
  - bsbechtel 10y ago
    I should also add you aren't liable to be punished by your government for not voting.

Karunamon 10y ago

Every ballot for selecting representatives that I'm aware of has a write-in option, which renders the philosophical concern moot.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]