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Voting should be compulsory!

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    #122
    TheInquisitor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,530 ✭✭✭TheInquisitor


    monument wrote: »
    TheInquisitor, could you please outline the benefits of having compulsory voting?

    Besides the exceptions covered by postal voting at present, why should it be in place now?

    Because any vote (like the recent lisbon referendum) where less than 50% of eligible voters actually vote, makes our country look like a joke and does not give an accurate result. Leave a spoil vote area where people can say why they are spoiling their vote- 1) do not understand what to do 2) Angry with government 3) Can't choose any good canditdate but at least there will be proper results showing peoples anger/ problems(which possibly can be fixed)
    Not voting does nothing and helps no one. It is pointless.
    monument wrote: »
    Do you know how much this would cost to administer?

    Nothing- Fines offset the cost


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    #123
    monument
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 14,083 Mod ✭✭✭✭monument


    TheInquisitor wrote: »
    Because any vote (like the recent lisbon referendum) where less than 50% of eligible voters actually vote, makes our country look like a joke and does not give an accurate result.

    You mean the turnout based on those registered to vote? You do know our register is has a ton of dead people are on it and many others have two or more votes, sometimes in different areas and sometimes different addresses in the one area, thus voter turnout looks lower than some countries.

    On the point of "makes our country look like a joke"... can you back this up?
    TheInquisitor wrote: »
    Leave a spoil vote area where people can say why they are spoiling their vote- 1) do not understand what to do 2) Angry with government 3) Can't choose any good canditdate but at least there will be proper results showing peoples anger/ problems(which possibly can be fixed)

    This has little to do with making voting compulsory. Or actually...
    TheInquisitor wrote: »
    Not voting does nothing and helps no one. It is pointless.

    ...what's the difference between not voting and having an option to spoil your vote as you're suggesting?
    TheInquisitor wrote: »
    Nothing- Fines offset the cost

    You're sure of this? Because that sounds like a wild guess.


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    #124
    turgon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,762 ✭✭✭turgon


    TheInquisitor wrote: »
    does not give an accurate result

    And you think compulsory voting will change this? You think forcing people who arent bothered getting informed will improve the accuracy of a decision on whether a given choice is good or bad?


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    #125
    MikeC101
    Registered Users Posts: 1,707 ✭✭✭MikeC101


    It might just be my stubborn nature, however....

    I currently try to keep myself informed about politics, national and international. I make sure to vote every time I have the chance to.

    BUT

    Any government that tries to force me to vote will have to drag me kicking and screaming to the polling station, and all they'll get is a spoiled vote from me every time.

    For some people, not voting is a valid choice. And I'd prefer to have people voting who care enough about the issues to do so voluntarily, rather than people forced to do so by threat of monetary loss.


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