Californians who register to vote would be required to cast ballots under new bill

In order to even think about enforcing this law they will have to figure out how to make voting a lot more accessible to everyone. If not they better start construction on more new jails.

 

Well if you don't vote Republican you get a get out of jail free card
If you don't vote democrat you have to clean human feces off the street for a month.

 

I don't recall them voting. Sorry.

 

How about this. You Vote - you get to wear a sticker with a flag on it and show your fellow Americans you took the time to be part of the process. You Don't Vote - You get the government that the rest of us choose for you because you choose not to participate. Maybe can give you a sticker that says Quityourbitcin

 

When Leftists get complete control and power like this, they make these type of draconian laws.

 

I agree. Look we have had our outlier pollies elected but usually they are minority in government and cannot muster the votes

We originally made voting compulsory out of a genuine fear that if we didnt no bastard would turn up

We would see more landslide elections than just about any other country and that is because the entire population has the opinion that “we voted you in and we can vote you out

Our electoral roles are hard to fudge and it’s cheap! You don’t have to spend money energising the base - mind that does not mean that pollies don’t try to “buy” votes by pork barrelling


Old ScoMo our current PM. Is sweating blood on a pork barrel scandal at the moment

 

What’s draconian?

 

Actually we don’t have to vote

Just get you name ticked off the electoral role

 

So in your opinion exactly how 'informed' do you have to be before you are entitled to vote? Do you have to watch every speech made by senior political figures in the parties running for election?. Obtain copies of their election manifestos and then fact check them line by line via detail on-line research? Survey as many people as you can to get their insights?

I don't know how 'uninformed' US citizens are about politics but over here most people take at least some small interest exactly because they know they have to vote. And when you know you have to do something you pay at least passing consideration to how/when you do it - even if its only taking out the garbage.

Our system works because most people see enough news broadcasts and read enough news to get a feel for which politicians they like and which they don't. (Or to be more correct which politician they detest the least which sought of amounts to the same thing.) Most also get a feel for the 'promises' being made by both sides and how those promises are likely to effect their hip pockets. Then they vote.

A small % cast 'donkey votes' or just tick boxes at random. The vast majority don't. Result - we have one of the most actively politically aware populations in the world.

 

You do realize being entitled to vote and mandatory voting are entirely different subjects don't you?

 

Pray tell, what exactly would be so wrong with such a development occurring, that it needed to be prevented from becoming a reality?

 

As long as you like losing your freedom to vote or not to vote. The problem with laws is that always involve a loss of some freedom. We could do with a lot fewer laws.

 

They'll soften it! They will just mandate if you don't vote they will just apply your no show to the Democrat politician.. And then they will mandate every illegal register too

 

Hilarious

 

Hilarious

Yet True!


Orange County, California completely Blue
hardly the will of "We The People . . a more perfect union . . . "


Ballot harvesting is illegal in many States but routine in California.
Party functionaries visit homeless camps and offer same day
voter registration and ballot and kindly carry the ballot to the ballot box.
NO VERIFICATION required. Such as citizenship.

 

You are right. Laws always deal with a loss of freedom in some aspect. It's simply a matter of to what extent is allowable. I'm not allowed to be free to murder my fellow countrymen. Not unreasonable.

Forcing everyone to vote? Not nearly as cut and dried. I can see the pros and cons on both sides.

 

So you' be happy with an extreme right wing or left wing government in the US then? (And you can't choose just one side and say 'that would be OK') If the goose gets a chance to be elected then so does the gander. Our system forces both sides of politics to moderate potentially extremist policy positions or risk losing the election.

 

I said fewer laws not no laws.

 

If only a dozen or so individuals actually feel like casting their votes in an election, such is ultimately the fault of the public for being too apathetic to make their voices heard or dispute the candidates they are given.

The entire notion of compulsory voting is less about protecting the public from extreme shifts in the structure of government, and more about protecting existing government from being subjected to drastic changes that will unseat career politicians who have been in office for decades. Government is holding that the public must protect it.

 

I never said you said that.

 

I know, you showed an example of a law that is necessary and important to show that not all laws should be eliminated.

 

So how do you explain all those 'career' politicians in DC then? I thought non-compulsory voting US style was supposed to prevent that kind of thing?

Happy to crunch the numbers for comparative churn rates for pollies in the US and Australia if we must but I'm pretty sure the difference is negligible. You can argue that compulsory voting is conscriptive but I don't think you can argue that it results in elected houses full of chair sitters. Although I would also add that I would be quite happy if legislation set a mandatory limit on the number of terms an incumbent could hold heir seat.

 

Particularly a single term limit.

 

The USSR and Russia have held national elections for almost a century where citizens were legally obligated to vote. Iraqii were legally obligated to vote under Sadam.