Compulsory Voting.

People that live in a democracy are told that the 'right' to vote is something of great value. I think that is debatable but I live in a country that forces me to vote. If I do not vote in Local,State or Federal election's I will be fined. If I do not pay the fine I cannot renew a license or registration. Basically if I do not vote or pay a fine I cannot live in Australia. I am forced to vote. My country believes that it is my duty to participate.

Only ten countries in the world force their citizens to vote.--
Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ecuador
Luxembourg
Nauru
Peru
Singapore
Uruguay

Everyone in Australia must register themselves as a voter when they turn eighteen. Its absurd to force Australian's to vote. I suspect the reason they continue to enforce compulsory voting here is because voter turn out would be so low that it would look bad. I would vote anyway but I know many would not. Many voters here simply turn up to get their names ticked then write an obscenity on the ballot and dont vote anyway. Many 'voters' that have no,to little interest in politics figure that they may as well vote since they are forced to make the time in their weekend to turn up and they cast a vote generally for one side of the duoploly or another.

It seems very stupid. It also takes the value away from my 'right'. I was reading that the Athenian's seem to be the first that had compulsory voting. They considered participation in decision making to be a citizens 'duty'.
en.wikipedia.org...

I know most are not forced to vote but should voting be a citizens 'right' or a citizens 'duty'?

Originally posted by theubermensch

Everyone in Australia must register themselves as a voter when they turn eighteen.

Not true, you don't have to register at all. There is no punishment for not being registered.
It's the easiest way to not vote. However if you then feel you want to participate you do have to register and then it becomes compulsory.
It kind of sucks. Only kind of though.

Voter Registration is mandatory for all citizens 18 years of age or above. An individual has 8 weeks after turning 18 to register, but may register at any time with no penalty being enforced for failure to register.

en.wikipedia.org...

Originally posted by pazcat

Originally posted by theubermensch

Everyone in Australia must register themselves as a voter when they turn eighteen.

Not true, you don't have to register at all. There is no punishment for not being registered.
It's the easiest way to not vote. However if you then feel you want to participate you do have to register and then it becomes compulsory.
It kind of sucks. Only kind of though.

Voter Registration is mandatory for all citizens 18 years of age or above. An individual has 8 weeks after turning 18 to register, but may register at any time with no penalty being enforced for failure to register.

en.wikipedia.org...

edit on 6-3-2012 by pazcat because: (no reason given)

In Australia, the law says that you must enroll to vote age age 18 (but you can enroll at age 17), you must keep your details up to date on the electoral roll (if you move house etc) and you MUST vote in every election (local, state and federal). There are criminal sanctions under the Electoral Act for failing to vote. Information is randomly cross checked with other government departments (including Centrelink, Tax Office and Medicare) so while you may get away with "not voting" for a while - eventually you will be caught out. !

au.answers.yahoo.com...

It is illegal not to register. It will catch up with you. Unless you live like some kind of hippy.

In a fair and equitable society, with a transparent and uncorrupted government, this would be a moot question. People would run to the poles, duty or not.

But that is not the world we live in. Only because the aforementioned is untrue anywhere in the world, has this question been raised at all.

Originally posted by pazcat

Originally posted by theubermensch

Everyone in Australia must register themselves as a voter when they turn eighteen.

Not true, you don't have to register at all. There is no punishment for not being registered.
It's the easiest way to not vote. However if you then feel you want to participate you do have to register and then it becomes compulsory.
It kind of sucks. Only kind of though.

Voter Registration is mandatory for all citizens 18 years of age or above. An individual has 8 weeks after turning 18 to register, but may register at any time with no penalty being enforced for failure to register.

en.wikipedia.org...

edit on 6-3-2012 by pazcat because: (no reason given)

If you are an Australian citizen who is 18 years of age or older, it is compulsory for you to be enrolled at your permanent address.

www.aec.gov.au...

So "not true" back at you....vomit.

Its compulsory. Do you know some hippy/criminal that never registered?

It's so they can say you had a choice and you chose, it is unfair as i'm assuming you have the same situation that all 'western free democracies' have in that the colour changes (party affiliation) but the policies remain the same. There is no freedom, it as an illusion of democracy and freedom, the NWO is already here and has been for a long time. Granted some policies will be slightly different but overall nothing changes, Labour went to war over Iraq and Afghan, the Conservatives went to war in Libya, (semantics aside) so nothing changes it was all done not for our benefit.

It is interesting how some civic actions are described as rights versus duties. People called to jury duty must show up or can be held in contempt of court. It is considered a duty. But voting, as framed as a right, is not typically compulsory.

Originally posted by FFS4000
It's so they can say you had a choice and you chose, it is unfair as i'm assuming you have the same situation that all 'western free democracies' have in that the colour changes (party affiliation) but the policies remain the same. There is no freedom, it as an illusion of democracy and freedom, the NWO is already here and has been for a long time. Granted some policies will be slightly different but overall nothing changes, Labour went to war over Iraq and Afghan, the Conservatives went to war in Libya, (semantics aside) so nothing changes it was all done not for our benefit.

Yeah. The Party that lean's left is Labor and Liberal leans right. But they are the same. Its a duopoly regime.

Originally posted by Toromos
It is interesting how some civic actions are described as rights versus duties. People called to jury duty must show up or can be held in contempt of court. It is considered a duty. But voting, as framed as a right, is not typically compulsory.

Good point.

And yeah, 'framed' is right.

I haven't voted in over 15 years and haven't been fined because I never registered.

I refuse to, because compulsory voting means politicians no longer have to earn your vote. You must give it to one of the two major parties, either by voting for them directly, or by voting for someone else who will decide for you which of the two parties gets your vote.

Basically, compulsory voting means politicians can behave how they please, and we have no choice but to put up with it.

I think the idea of compulsory voting is so politicians have some type of evidence that the people actually want them in power.

If compulsory voting was abolished, what the people truly want would become obvious, and they can't let that happen.

Originally posted by NuclearPaul
I think the idea of compulsory voting is so politicians have some type of evidence that the people actually want them in power.

If compulsory voting was abolished, what the people truly want would become obvious, and they can't let that happen.

I agree 100%

Nice avatar too