Honestly compulsory voting is one of the best things about Australian democracy.
Trying to explain it to the yanks is just bonkers.
I honestly had a head spin when I was told the voting isn’t mandatory and they don’t get time off for it
No wonder everyone is so apathetic over there
Yeah, it makes the “both sides” narrative very effective.
Also postal voting. Muricans need time off work and if they’re in a vote suppressed area might have to queue for many hours.
Used to be big fan but no longer, forcing somone to vote when they don’t want to seems an odd thing to ne proud off. They wont make any sort of rational choice.
I read a stat some years ago that >60% of people still don’t know who they will vote for as they approach the polling booth which is why we get slammed with a zillion how to vote cards. They should not be voting at all.
I see it as giving everyone the responsibility to choose a representative. I don’t think that’s much to ask of citizens in a democracy. It’s not like “forcing” a vegan to eat meat.
I like mandatory voting because it makes more people take an interest, and frankly I find it kind of undemocratic to try to suppress votes from people who might be less informed than yourself.
If they really object to voting they can pay the $20 fine as a conscientious objector.
I can’t really respond to a made up statistic that you read somewhere. People use how to vote cards to choose preferences.
You don’t have to vote. You only need to get your name crossed off. You are then able to just leave if you really want.
And while those ‘how to vote cards’ (and their pushers) are annoying if you don’t need or want them, they do help people get something close to their wishes down on the ballot.
AEC does a good job of nudging people into getting their enrolment details organised. I changed addresses a little while ago, and it was 30 seconds online to update, with confirmation a few days later via SMS and email.
Yeah they have a really good system. We also just moved. Was updated in just a few mins. Very smooth.
Now if they’d only let me pay my fines in advance…
