Which is exactly the reason I support Australia's system. They're still free to spoil their ballot, and I would never want to or try to deprive them of that privilege.Its impossible to have compulsory voting and a secret ballot, since if people don't want to vote they will just spoil their ballot.
Because they live in this country. They have a say. The health of democracy depends on citizens having their say. The ironic thing here is that they are almost being forced to have their say (though anonymously), which is a bit too much for most Libertarians to stomach, like most things the government does (and democracy itself seems too deplorable to many Libertarians, too, so...).If someone doesn't care enough to voluntarily vote, then why do we want to force them to decide who the leader of our country is?
Yeah but if that's the case, why bother making it compulsory?just front and submit a blank ballot paper
This has experimentally been proven false. Only 5% spoil their ballot paper each year in Australia, while based on experiences in other advanced Western democracies, often quite a bit more than 5% don't bother voting in voluntary voting systems.Yeah but if that's the case, why bother making it compulsory?
Those that want to vote will, and those that don't wont bother to turn up to draw a penis on the ballot.
It's quite simple.
Because they live in this country. They have a say. The health of democracy depends on citizens having their say.
The ironic thing here is that they are almost being forced to have their say (though anonymously), which is a bit too much for most Libertarians to stomach,
Which is entirely understandable but whatever.like most things the government does
(and democracy itself seems too deplorable to many Libertarians, too, so...).
But the 5% who spoil the ballot doesn't include the people who donkey vote, or vote for the person with the coolest name, or whatever, which just add randomness to the process. If people don't want to vote for whatever reason, they shouldn't have toThis has experimentally been proven false. Only 5% spoil their ballot paper each year in Australia, while based on experiences in other advanced Western democracies, often quite a bit more than 5% don't bother voting in voluntary voting systems.
Edit: I checked the stats here: Voter turnout - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
As usual, America's poor voter turnout rate is an anomaly not found in other advanced Western countries. I stand corrected in thinking voluntary voting would lead to low voter turnout rates (that seems to be a cultural issue when voting is made voluntary). I still support compulsory voting, since Australia has continually posted the highest voter participation rates in the world, but I wouldn't care as much now if it were scrapped.
and under the current system they don't have to vote- they just have to turn up and put the ballot in the box.If people don't want to vote for whatever reason, they shouldn't have to
But that's completely pointless. As I said in my post, most people in that situation will just vote in a way that will add randomness to the outcome, which can hardly be seen as a desirable resultand under the current system they don't have to vote- they just have to turn up and put the ballot in the box.
My problem is that the right to vote is not enshrined in the constitution. Instead of leaving it up to the courts to imply a right, there should be an express right to vote written in the constitution.
becouse it would be a wasted referendum, those that don't likd ebeing forced to vote will vote no, those that don't likde the idea of rapists and the like voting will vote no in the hope of one day removing their right to vote etcetera, so you pay heaps of money to get a no vote, the government already knows thisand under the current system they don't have to vote- they just have to turn up and put the ballot in the box.
My problem is that the right to vote is not enshrined in the constitution. Instead of leaving it up to the courts to imply a right, there should be an express right to vote written in the constitution.
Actually, if there were a referendum today on whether or not voting should be a right, I can guarantee you over 80% of people would vote 'yes, it should'. Aussies love equality and egalitarianism.becouse it would be a wasted referendum, those that don't likd ebeing forced to vote will vote no, those that don't likde the idea of rapists and the like voting will vote no in the hope of one day removing their right to vote etcetera, so you pay heaps of money to get a no vote, the government already knows this
But why is a high turnout rate a good thing?This has experimentally been proven false. Only 5% spoil their ballot paper each year in Australia, while based on experiences in other advanced Western democracies, often quite a bit more than 5% don't bother voting in voluntary voting systems.
Edit: I checked the stats here: Voter turnout - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
As usual, America's poor voter turnout rate is an anomaly not found in other advanced Western countries. I stand corrected in thinking voluntary voting would lead to low voter turnout rates (that seems to be a cultural issue when voting is made voluntary). I still support compulsory voting, since Australia has continually posted the highest voter participation rates in the world, but I wouldn't care as much now if it were scrapped.
I'm not even going to bother answering that. You don't even think democracy is a good thing because you don't like the notion that you 'only' have as much of a vote as Joe Average and that he might vote for a government which promises universal healthcare.But why is a high turnout rate a good thing?