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Topic: Voting: Privilege, Right, Responsibility?

wei-chi
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2799

posted 14 May 2004 12:38 PM

As the next federal election draws close, I've been thinking about decling voter turnout and low youth-voter turnout.

I read in another thread that someone didn't want their brother to vote because he was uninformed. Personally, I reject this position, because it leads ultimately to: Just how informed do you need to be? Do you need to have a "correct" world view in order to vote? Should you take a test? No, democracy is only democracy if EVERYONE votes, even the uneducated and illiterate. Even the convicts and prisoners.

Aside from that, I feel that in our society - and in order to have our society work - we have both rights AND responsibilities. This includes voting. I would like Canada to adopt an Australian-like mandatory voting system.

From: Saskatoon | Registered: Jun 2002 | IP: Logged

minimal
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2222

posted 14 May 2004 01:52 PM

Everyone should have the right to vote, but not everyone should be required to vote. The right to vote is a democratic right, as is the right not to vote if one chooses. There are many people out there who worry more about who wins the Stanley Cup than who wins the election. Why should we force those dolts to vote when they are totally ignorant of the issues involved? If they want to vote, then fine, but let's not encourage them. Yet they still retain the democratic right to vote.

From: Alberta | Registered: Feb 2002 | IP: Logged

wei-chi
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2799

posted 14 May 2004 08:36 PM

Well, mandatory voting also comes with a "none-of-the-above" option on the ballot as well. I think it is an important ritual to get off of work an hour or two early, tromp to the local elementary school or church hall and mark an "x".

There is always the Starship Troopers democracy version: legal residents can do everything but vote, only citizens can vote, but you can only become a citizen after military or civil service.

Is it really a democracy if only half of the voters vote? If its only the "informed" people voting, then is that democratic or an oligarchy?

What does enfranchisement really mean?

From: Saskatoon | Registered: Jun 2002 | IP: Logged

Anchoress
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4650

posted 14 May 2004 08:45 PM

I agree with you, wei-chi. I think that mandatory voting should be one of the responsibilities that accompany citizenship.

The funny thing is that the responsibility to contribute to Canadian society by voting is so well-outlined (inculcated) as part of the citizenship process for naturalised Canadians that many folks who become Canadians as adults take it *very* seriously, much more so than native-born Canadians.

From: Vancouver babblers' meetup July 9 @ Cafe Deux Soleil! | Registered: Nov 2003 | IP: Logged

MacD
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2511

posted 14 May 2004 08:56 PM

Forcing people to vote in a system in which most votes are "wasted" anyway doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Such a system would create the illusion that the winner actually has a mandate from the people to govern.

Before we consider such a move, we need to reform the electoral system by instituting proportional representation, thereby eliminating wasted votes; and reforming campaign finance laws so that entities that are not even eligible to vote do not have a disproportionate influence on the public debate and election outcome.

From: Redmonton, Alberta | Registered: Apr 2002 | IP: Logged

Anchoress
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4650

posted 14 May 2004 09:20 PM

IMO it's a matter of what we're used to. I'd like to say that paying taxes when most of the money is wasted anyway doesn't make a lot of sense, but the fact is we all have to pay our taxes, and that's that. I think that if we made voting mandatory, before long it would be routine.

Also, saying that we shouldn't bother making voting mandatory until all our votes count is a circular argument. IMO making voting mandatory might shake us out of the collective torpor that allows the flawed electoral system to continue unaltered.

It's kind of like saying 'I'll care when there's something to care about', when perhaps the answer is 'When I care, there'll be something to care about'.

Also, whether or not voting is mandatory, the 'winner' can only count votes in his/her/its favour as evidence of 'mandate'.

From: Vancouver babblers' meetup July 9 @ Cafe Deux Soleil! | Registered: Nov 2003 | IP: Logged

radiorahim
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2777

posted 15 May 2004 12:27 PM

My understanding is that under the new federal electoral laws that parties will be receiving "x" amount of dollars for every vote they receive.

So in that sense (party financing) every vote in the upcoming federal election does count.

Now if only we had proportional representation, then every vote would count towards the number of seats that the parties win in parliament.

Fortunately it appears that at the provincial level, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and British Columbia are moving in this direction.

From: a Micro$oft-free computer | Registered: Jun 2002 | IP: Logged

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