El Presidente Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 Well I paid my fine for not voting in the last state election. Don't get me wrong it isn't that I am not politically savvy or interested. I am! Since my teens I have always found politics fascinating and I am across policy debates on most issues from the major parties. Still I didn't vote in the last state election. I found both parties (Liberals and labour) to be repugnant. After much thought, neither one deserved my vote. Federally i didn't vote either at the last election. Despised both prime ministerial candidates and their parties. So I have ponied up a couple of hundred in fines. I would do it again and I refuse to make up an excuse for not voting (illness) or head to the polling booth only to have my name ticked off and walking out...or worse, voting for nothing or for someone I didn't want. Compulsory voting ....I am dead against it and see no redeeming feature for it. I know the alternate point of view espoused by the government (it is a responsibility and an honour) but i just don't buy it. Compulsory voting.....for it or against it? ...is it an honour and privilege for each citizen which should be enforced ...or.is it a betrayal of basic freedoms / free speech.
Popular Post JohnS Posted July 28, 2015 Popular Post Posted July 28, 2015 I believe in the right to vote. I love the ideals of a democratic political system. Alternatively, you should have the right not to vote. 7
Ken Gargett Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 agreed. absurd we should be forced to vote. i think israel, some tiny south pacific island and ourselves are the only nations that force citizens to vote though could be wrong. ditto re rob - certainly have an interest but quite often do not have anyone i wish to vote for (do like doing the senate vote which i do under the line and very much not according to any party lines so some poor bastard has to spend hours going through it candidate by candidate. i have often asked for a postal vote - could not be bothered attending and do a fair bit of travel - and often it does not turn up. only once did i get fined and when i advised i had requested a postal vote and never heard, i never heard from them. i did include a note that i was outraged that i had been denied my constitutional right to vote and what compensation would i be offered and was there any reason, given this appalling failing in the system, that there would not be an immediate by-election. was not surprised i did not hear back.
LordAnubis Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 I like the fact that we enforce voting in this country, it leads to a high turnout of the population for elections and referrendums. This at least gives the population some accountability. Everyone whinges about Abbott, but 54% of he country voted him in. Not voting is absolutely your right. It shows how little the population cares or believes in the parties up for election. A very important statistic! But attending voting is a citizens responsibility in a parliamentary democracy. Referendums like the irish *** vote then become a farce. More people didn't bother to vote than people who said Yes! How can you change the laws of 100 % of the country when the strongest voice was "i don't give a damn". That being said though, i'm big on statistics and representative sampling. If you make voting "optional" then you only get the people who are strongly in favour of one side... so effectively whoever can get the most money and draw in the most people to vote their way will win... 1
MIKA27 Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 I like the idea that we CAN vote should we wish but don't believe THEY have a right to enforce us to vote. Compulsory voting, seriously, even if you went to the booths, who's to say you actually completed the form after you had your name checked off? I hate voting purely because I'm not proud of our politicians. Both sides look like a bunch of red neck ****** bags. Kind of reminds me of an episode of the Simpsons how they portrayed our pollies. 2
El Presidente Posted July 28, 2015 Author Posted July 28, 2015 That being said though, i'm big on statistics and representative sampling. If you make voting "optional" then you only get the people who are strongly in favour of one side... so effectively whoever can get the most money and draw in the most people to vote their way will win... I am a big believer that the votes of the one who decides on the day because they have to....and has no idea why he/she is there....and the person who fought with their conscience and ideals to come up with a decision......are equal. In an optional voting system only the latter would be there of the two. In a compulsory voting system you get Pauline Hanson, Clive Palmer, Ricky Muir, Jacqui Lambie. Actually leave it as it is. Those four are pretty representative: . Racists, Corporate opportunists buying power, the Bradbury's of our country,and of course, crass morons. 1
LordAnubis Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 Thats what i love about it Pres! You can vote in any muppet.... and that's what makes it a democracy. And Mika, the invalid votes for the last election was the second highest ever or something. The percentage who voted was 93%, lower than the usual 95-97%. I think it goes to show that the Australian population is showing very little interest in the current political climate and parties.
LordAnubis Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 Ohh and i should mentioned i'm excused from voting till 2019
El Presidente Posted July 28, 2015 Author Posted July 28, 2015 Ohh and i should mentioned i'm excused from voting till 2019 Lucky Bastard
JohnS Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 Ohh and i should mentioned i'm excused from voting till 2019 Lucky total bastard, in fact!
Ken Gargett Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 I am a big believer that the votes of the one who decides on the day because they have to....and has no idea why he/she is there....and the person who fought with their conscience and ideals to come up with a decision......are equal. In an optional voting system only the latter would be there of the two. In a compulsory voting system you get Pauline Hanson, Clive Palmer, Ricky Muir, Jacqui Lambie. Actually leave it as it is. Those four are pretty representative: . Racists, Corporate opportunists buying power, the Bradbury's of our country,and of course, crass morons. aren't you having a smiley face day!
Ken Gargett Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 I like the fact that we enforce voting in this country, . Not voting is absolutely your right. How can you change the laws of 100 % of the country when the strongest voice was "i don't give a damn". mus, first how/why are you excused? next, aren't you supporting both sides of the argument? finally, i don't have a problem with laws changing or govts being elected but only a small % voting. if you don't vote, don't whinge. remember also there is very very little changed by "direct" voting here - ie, referenda. they are rarely held and when they are, you need a majority of the population and a majority of the states. so you can have a massive win by numbers but it still doesn't get up.
LordAnubis Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 I mean not putting in a proper vote. Attendance is necessary. Casting a valid vote is not. But you have to attend to be able to make the choice of casting an invalid vote. I am excused cod I work overseas. I applied to be excused as I got called up for jury duty. But they said it excuses me from voting too. It's essentially telling the AEC that's im overseas for the next 4 years. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ken Gargett Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 I mean not putting in a proper vote. Attendance is necessary. Casting a valid vote is not. But you have to attend to be able to make the choice of casting an invalid vote. I am excused cod I work overseas. I applied to be excused as I got called up for jury duty. But they said it excuses me from voting too. It's essentially telling the AEC that's im overseas for the next 4 years. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk very odd but half your luck. yes, that is the bizarre thing. they make you attend but of course, you can then rip up the form and vote informal. i'm old enough to remember when enough people actually mischieviously wrote the name "norman gunston" on their ballots for the senate election to get him over the line had he been a candidate. though of course, had he been a candidate he would have lost his appeal.
LordAnubis Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 A dud vote (or tearing up you ballot paper) is great i think, it just shows that the population has lost the interest of the political parties.
Ken Gargett Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 A dud vote (or tearing up you ballot paper) is great i think, it just shows that the population has lost the interest of the political parties. the problem is that politicians just assume that they are votes cast by people too stupid to actually mange to vote (and sometimes they are correct). so it doesn't bother them. compulsory voting offers another problem - the donkey vote. studies have shown (certainly in the past and i can't imagine things are better now) it can be worth near 5% which is massive. in other words, if you get the luck of the draw to have your name at the top of the ballot, it can tip the balance, all because people are told they must vote so they come in and go 1, 2, 3... spare me!
LordAnubis Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 Indeed. How do they select who gets the top of the ballot? Is it randomly generated or alphabetical?
TomF Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 Here in the USA we have compulsory jury duty. I wish we had compulsory voting too. It's shameful that in the US only a small percentage of the population goes to the polls. And it's not really compulsory anyway, is it? I mean, you can always pay the fine if you don't want to vote. What I can't understand is why anyone would not want to vote?
Ken Gargett Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 Indeed. How do they select who gets the top of the ballot? Is it randomly generated or alphabetical? it used to be some sort of random draw. not sure what happens now or if it has changed.
El Presidente Posted July 28, 2015 Author Posted July 28, 2015 aren't you having a smiley face day! You guessed!
El Presidente Posted July 28, 2015 Author Posted July 28, 2015 What I can't understand is why anyone would not want to vote? Caveat in that I want to vote. However when door number one has Prima Facie idiot in a Blue Shirt, door Two Prima Facie idiot in a Red Shirt....door three a loony in a green shirt ......what am I voting for? it is not always that way. Occasionally someone comes along who captures your respect. You may not agree with them 100% but they can have your vote. In the case that the above option is missing from an election....what exactly is one voting for?
teamrandr Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 My mother always told me it was my duty as a member of a democratic society to vote. I feel what Rob is saying. We are in the same conundrum here Rob. Bunch of gangsters dressed in nice suits. We are still fortunate to have options so I vote no matter what. Also I dont feel like you have a right to complain about politicians if you didnt even bother to vote. Just my 2 cents I respect ones right to choose.
NCPANTHERZFAN Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 I just typed a diatribe about my thoughts on politics here in the U.S., then decided to erase it. I log onto this form to get away from the stress of daily life and the b.s that is happening in our Country. Here are my thoughts in a very consice form. All should have the right to vote, it should never be mandated due to the amount of total bafoons out there that are uniformed and get their news from Facebook. I would rather have 1/2 the population note vote instead of voting ill informed. But, it is their right to be ignorant here in the U.S.
TomF Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 Caveat in that I want to vote. However when door number one has Prima Facie idiot in a Blue Shirt, door Two Prima Facie idiot in a Red Shirt....door three a loony in a green shirt ......what am I voting for? it is not always that way. Occasionally someone comes along who captures your respect. You may not agree with them 100% but they can have your vote. In the case that the above option is missing from an election....what exactly is one voting for? You certainly have a point there. I know that in the past I have had to hold my nose and vote for the horrible over the totally disastrous, but I think even then, every little bit helps, and change sometimes needs to be incremental. There have been many times that I've voted for some obscure party or for a candidate that I knew had no chance of winning, but I've never missed an election since 1970.
treberty Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 I have twin boys. One LOVES strawberry pie, with a passion. The other, not so much - he prefers chocolate. What would be the point of entering my son who doesn't care much for strawberry pie in a pie-eating contest??? It'd be a waste of his time and mine. Same goes for democracy, imo.
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