Compulsory Voting

oldbloke · Guru

Compulsory Voting

Whenarewethere · Guru

We have a compulsory non democratic voting system, in other words serial dictatorship, when you change address you fall off the electrical roll & avoid jury duty. Quite handy when you are in an electorate that votes the opposite of your views. Not to say that one doesn't bust one's backside to hammer the permanently fixed party!

Derek Barnes · Senior Member

In my opinion voting should be compulsory, in order to make people consider the issues. BUT you should be able to put in an informal vote, if you consider that all the candidates/parties are hopeless. There we should not be forced to vote electronically where there is no option of voting informally.

Tony Bev · Guru

I was unaware that we could have opted out of voting, when we turned 70, so thanks for that info, Oldbloke

I doubt if I will ever want to lose my voting rights, I would feel as though I had lost part of my democratic rights

It will not be that many years into the future, when us oldies may have a bit of clout, with our voting numbers

Whenarewethere · Guru

You don't have to put the paper/s in the box, as long as you get your name marked as voted you can simply walk out the door.

Years ago with the "table cloth" ballot paper with something like 250 boxes to number. I numbered every one in a random order. Then counted then backwards to double check there were no mistakes. Took about 45 minutes.

I wanted to create administration!

I also do (did..... Covid) hand out how to vote torcher material which is a lot of work & help at pre polling booths, tiring stuff.

dogbox · Guru

voting not compulsory in USA do you like what they got ?

in some countries people die for the right to vote

-- Edited by dogbox on Friday 9th of October 2020 08:11:38 AM

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

The other way of looking at it . People vote and have NO idea !!! The old equal and opposite reactions !! I dont have to vote . I am a resident not a citizen !!

elliemike · Guru

If you dont want to vote for anyone just put a big cross over the voting slips. Put them in the box or Post them.

Your name is not on any Ballot Paper.

It gets counted as a spoiled Ballot Paper. No one get a vote from it.

Oh by the way they are all archived for a number of years. Even the spoiled ones like with Graffiti and, e.g. those bits of paper that are torn up to confetti.

Your ballot papers are anonymous.

But go through the motions you must, or be fined maybe.

dogbox · Guru

Aus-Kiwi wrote:

The other way of looking at it . People vote and have NO idea !!! The old equal and opposite reactions !! I dont have to vote . I am a resident not a citizen !!

t
i thought if you where a resident for more than 2 years you had to vote

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

In this country if you are a traveller, you can register as an itinerant and then do not have to vote.
Cheers,
Peter

the rocket · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
In this country if you are a traveller, you can register as an itinerant and then do not have to vote.
Cheers,
Peter

Hi, is this for australian elections but whatabout state elections? Rocket

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

the rocket wrote:
Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
In this country if you are a traveller, you can register as an itinerant and then do not have to vote.
Cheers,
Peter
Hi, is this for australian elections but whatabout state elections? Rocket

Both.

Cheers,

Peter

The Belmont Bear · Guru

There are only 5 countries in the world who have compulsory voting Australia, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Luxemburg and Belgium, most democratic countries believe that voting is a civil right not a civil duty. Forcing people to vote doesn't mean that they are any more likely to consider the issues it just means that they will get their name marked off the roll and probably cast a donkey or an invalid vote. I've no idea how this adds any value to our electoral process but obviously our law makers seem to think it does. Rather than going through the hassle of getting a medical exemption I'll just pay them the $20 if I ever decide that I don't want to participate.

BB

Bobdown · Guru

The Belmont Bear wrote:
Rather than going through the hassle of getting a medical exemption I'll just pay them the $20 if I ever decide that I don't want to participate.
BB

Hey BB,

You don't have to go that far even. If for whatever reason you don't want to vote, all you do is do not attend a polling booth on election day.

Then you will receive a fine for not voting, which if you do not pay, you will be struck off the Roll for good.....true story, my brother did it 15 years ago, he had his reasons for doing so.

FYI.........cheers Bob

blaze · Guru

I find people that dont use the right to vote are often the biggest wingers
cheers
blaze

oldbloke · Guru

Unless you can get off the hook casting your vote is now compulsory until you fall off the perch. (All elections)

You only get off the hook for medical reasons or if you are overseas or interstate. Frankly I think I should have a right to long vote if I wish.

What really annoys me is it went through under the radar. This should have been an election issue and put to the vote. Not even any mention in the media to my knowledge. It just lowers even further my opinion of polititions, if that's possible.

-- Edited by oldbloke on Thursday 8th of October 2020 10:39:44 PM

dabbler · Guru

I've never heard of older age making voting voluntary in Australia. Intrigued so started Googling and found plenty of references to older age *not* being an excuse in itself for not voting (reports from official sources 2019, 2013, 2010 all specifically indicate age is not a valid excuse to nit voting). Does anyone have a reference, even historical, that explains voting was ever mandatory between certain ages ? I also found about far more than 5 countries have compulsory voting.

The Belmont Bear · Guru

In the mid 90s I was with my family working as an expat in South Africa when a federal election was called in Australia. If I recall it was between Howard and Keating and I was particuarly keen to have my say so I contacted the Australian Embassy in Joburg and asked them to send me the forms that we needed to cast our votes. The woman I was talking to said (in her South African accent) by the time she mailed the paperwork to our location, we filled it out and got it back it just wasn't worth all the drama. As I said I was keen to vote so I kept pushing her to send us the forms and she kept saying that it was too much trouble and not to worry about it - in the end in frustration I gave up. My mum had been receiving our mail and reading anything that looked urgent so when she told me a couple of months later that I had received a letter from the electoral mob threatening me with a fine you can imagine my response.

The countries I quoted dabbler came out of a Wikipedia article that I quickly read on compulsory voting maybe I misread it but they were the ones that they listed, it also said that in previous polls conducted in Australia something like 65% were in favour of compulsory voting. Personally I choose to vote which has nothing to do with the threat of a fine - if I ever decide to opt out then having to give them $20 wont really be that big a deterent anyhow.

BB

-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Friday 9th of October 2020 07:39:51 AM

Mike Harding · Guru

This a democracy where you have political free choice and you will be democratically compelled to vote.

There are about 25% of people who have zero interest in or concern of politics or current affairs and they will vote for "anyone" simply because they have to, that skews democracy. If people are too disinterested to vote why make them? Most of the rest of the democratic world seems to manage pretty well without it.

bgt · Guru

Our system of preferential voting it the 'best'!! Simply because no one can say I didn't vote for xyz.

The USA has voluntary voting. As a result the extremes of the left and the right determine who gets into power. At the same time the silent majority just get on with life. But also complain about the government they have.

Its the fact that everyone votes that smooths out the extremes.
Sure some 'funny' folks get to vote. But would you rather the extremes determine the outcome?

elliemike · Guru

Bobdown wrote:
The Belmont Bear wrote:
Rather than going through the hassle of getting a medical exemption I'll just pay them the $20 if I ever decide that I don't want to participate.
BB
Hey BB,
You don't have to go that far even. If for whatever reason you don't want to vote, all you do is do not attend a polling booth on election day.
Then you will receive a fine for not voting, which if you do not pay, you will be struck off the Roll for good.....true story, my brother did it 15 years ago, he had his reasons for doing so.
FYI.........cheers Bob

Not quite sure about this. 1

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-08/what-happens-when-you-dont-vote-in-a-federal-election/8786684

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

dogbox wrote:
Aus-Kiwi wrote:
Yes you do . But they cant fine you . Or more the point they cant make you pay if you say your a overseas citizen . Been there . While overseas they took my licence off me for not paying . Got it all back . All elections are the same !!
The other way of looking at it . People vote and have NO idea !!! The old equal and opposite reactions !! I dont have to vote . I am a resident not a citizen !! They cant have it both ways .

t
i thought if you where a resident for more than 2 years you had to vote

oldbloke · Guru

Bit of misinformation there I think.

No vote get fine. Next election no vote get another fine. Lol

No vote get fine. Next election no vote get another fine. Lol

No vote get fine. Next election no vote get another fine. Lol

No vote get fine. Next election no vote get another fine. Lol

Bobdown · Guru

oldbloke wrote:
Bit of misinformation there I think.

No vote get fine. Next election no vote get another fine. Lol

No vote get fine. Next election no vote get another fine. Lol

No vote get fine. Next election no vote get another fine. Lol

No vote get fine. Next election no vote get another fine. Lol

What happens if you don't pay the fine?...............are they going to lock you up for $20?

Cheers Bob

DMaxer · Guru

No Bob, it becomes a bit sinister. I failed to vote in either a council or state election, can't remember which one and they sent a penalty notice to my mail box. I had not cleared the mail box for some time and when I did I had a notice telling me the fine had then increased with penalties and it was about $150. I then also had a notice telling me that if I did not pay the fine and added penalties within so many days my drivers licence would be suspended. I rang the penalties people up and explained I had been on the road and not checked the mail box and they took some of the added penalties off. I paid the fine over the phone and then a few days later I received notification from the Motor Vehicle people that my proposed suspension would now not proceed as I had coughed up the money.

They are nasty little bananas when you don't follow their rules.

-- Edited by DMaxer on Friday 9th of October 2020 11:52:58 AM

JayDee · Guru

I have only two things to say on the subject.

We totally agree with compulsory Voting.

And our view is that to many people vote for the wrong party.

Footnote:-

Well sometime they do vote for our party.

Jay&Dee

Izabarack · Guru

Of course voting should be compulsory, else we get the kind of muddle the USA is going through right now. Actually, the muddle the USA is in right now is the best argument for NOT having an elected Head of State. So, two things the USA do that Australia needs to avoid when we become a Republic.

Iza

Cupie · Guru

Izabarack wrote:
Of course voting should be compulsory, else we get the kind of muddle the USA is going through right now. Actually, the muddle the USA is in right now is the best argument for NOT having an elected Head of State. So, two things the USA do that Australia needs to avoid when we become a Republic.

Iza

I think that Donald would make a great Gov General. Can't you just see him in a topper & morning suit with that arrogant pout of his ... LOL

Perhaps just a bit more comical than John Kerr. (Note that I have de-knighted him)

I can't believe it ... but I actually agree with bgt on a matter of politics.

Big Gorilla · Guru

I have a simple solution. I just don't vote, never have and never been on the Roll.

I believe our friends across the ditch in New Zealand do not have compulsory voting. Eligible voters must be enrolled to vote but do not have to vote.

I figured if ever I was caught out, I'd register to vote but I'd have the inconvenience of going to a Polling Booth to lodge a blank piece of paper.

-- Edited by Big Gorilla on Saturday 17th of October 2020 04:44:36 PM

beiffe · Guru

I have been an itinerant traveller since I got fined from not voting in QLD election I thin 2009 or around then. When I went to QLD I went to the electoral office and told them that I was in Victoria I no longer resided in a residence and was on the road full time, beside QLD elections did not get a lot of publicity while travelling in Victoria, and beside they did not contact me on the road to tell me to vote. He gave me the form and I filled it in and now only vote in federal election because I want to but dont have to watch when a state election is coming up etc. It is your choice if you want it.