Is it time for the US to require all eligible persons to vote, a la Australia?

[spooky3]

According to another thread here, Alan Grayson believes that the lower turnout of Democrats vs. Republicans in his district, compared to their respective #s in 2008, was a factor in his loss. This may have happened elsewhere. Is it time to start requiring voting? It would at least mean that the results would reflect the US populace more than they now do, and may offset some of the spending advantage now being provided by the corps., thanks to their close buddies on the Supreme Court in the Citizens United decision.

This article is especially interesting, because Australia is a individualistic country. My friends there say they don't see it as problematic; people have multiple options as to times and days to vote.

http://www.slate.com/id/2108832/

You Must Vote. It's the Law.
Australia requires citizens to vote. Should the U.S.?
By Eric WeinerPosted Friday, Oct. 29, 2004, at 7:19 AM ET

"This election season has produced a mother lode of innovative get-out-the-vote campaigns. No longer content to merely Rock the Vote, we now hip-hop the vote and pray the vote. Votergasm.org encourages young people to reward voting with sex. A "patriot-level commitment," for instance, means you agree to have sex with another voter on Election Day—and withhold sex from nonvoters for one week. The group claims to have enlisted some 30,000 amorous patriots already.

In Australia, a country no less fond of sex, such campaigns are unnecessary. Voter turnout is already 95 percent of registered voters. The reason is simple: It's the law. Those who fail to vote risk a fine and, in rare cases, imprisonment. Advocates of mandatory voting argue it's a sensible way to ensure that elections reflect the will of all of the people. Only 67 percent of American registered voters, by contrast, bothered to show up on Election Day in 2000...

..."Mandatory voting isn't politically neutral. It's bound to affect which parties do well at the polls and which do not. In general, political scientists believe the practice gives a slight edge (2 percent or 3 percent) to liberal parties, since presumably the poor and disenfranchised, once forced to the polls, tend to vote liberal (although Australia did just re-elect conservative* Prime Minister John Howard)."

[pinto]

1. I actually think it's an idea worth considering. Not sure if it would pass Constitutional muster,

but a voting requirement sure hasn't hurt Australia any, from what I can see. :hi:

[Merlot]

2. And it would be fought tooth and nail by the repubs

Their strategy has always been to suppress the vote. In CA they tried to pass the motor voter law which allowed anyone who registered a car to register to vote at the same time. Just think, pretty soon that would be ALL californians. repubs were against it of course.

[pinto]

6. I remember that (I'm a Californian). God forbid we *encourage* people to register / vote.

:eyes:

[Jennicut]

3. Yes but many here (on the right side) would consider it to be against their "freedoms"

It will never happen here. Our voter turnout, sometimes deemed historic, is always pathetic. Is a bit over 40% of all eligible voters in a midterm all that great? It is sad.

[lynne]

4. Are you a glutton for punishment?

You actually want MORE uninformed voters? Add their disinterest in the process for those who normally don't vote then combine with their anger about having their day interrupted to vote and we'll have a bigger mess than we have now.

So . . . NO.

[spooky3]

11. Actually (a) my OP raises a question; and (b) I wonder whether the average

voter is any better informed than a non-voter. Emotions drive people to the polls as much as rational wishes to vote in people who will legislate or govern as we want. Given that turnout was higher among Republicans, I suspect not.

Did you see the research findings reported in the last pgh.?

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. A. ..gasp. ..gasp.. .gasp...MANDATE?

But what about our FREEEEEEEEDOMS!!!!

:rofl:

Preposterous.

[treestar]

8. I think it's a good idea

Make it more like Jury Duty, which is mandatory, and you can get fined for ignoring the summons, or be guilty of contempt.

[spooky3]

12. good point - jury duty is mandatory so there is precedent.

[ProudDad]

9. Just for once, I'd like to see that...

Then we'd know whether this country is just hopelessly bat-shit crazy fascist or not...

And then I can leave for good!

But my damn hit of hopium, hope that the USamerican people aren't as dumb as a rock-stupid as they seem...won't let me leave...just yet...

[Number23]

10. They vote on Saturday here in Australia too.

I think mandatory voting is a good idea, although it's of course a paradox that a country that screams so much about "freedom and democracy" would have to force its public to vote.

[rug]

13. Of course not.