I don't like mandatory voting

[andrewducker]

I want people to vote. But I loathe the idea of people being forced to vote.

People should vote because they believe it's making a difference, and they're making a positive statement that they believe a particular person/party will do a decent job of representing them.

The IPPR have suggested forcing 18-year-olds to vote. Because voting levels are dropping, and political engagement is a good thing.

To which my reply is - if you want people to vote, give them a clear choice. Give them a vote for a party that they feel represents them - a vote which will actually contribute towards the success of that party (even in a small way).

Because one of the things I learned from the Independence Referendum is that when you give people a clear choice, where their vote makes a difference, turnout hits 85%.

(It's not entirely surprising that countries with some form of PR tend to have higher turnouts than countries with FPTP.)

Comments

[conuly]

FPTP = First past the post
PR - proportional representation?

[andrewducker]

Sorry, yes, should have been clearer!

[dalglir]

agreed-ish. I agree that there isn't much choice between the 'traditional' two (three?) parties as they all seem to be marginally different flavours of the same thing. However, I feel that people should at least be encouraged to mark a ballot paper - whether that be to spoil it or not - as the number of spoiled ballot papers sends a clearer message than not bothering to turn up to vote at all.

There is a dangerous vacuum in the voter apathy we're seeing these days.

[redbird]

My immediate thought is, if that's a good idea, why just the 18-year-olds?

Because the people making the suggestions want to pressure their (and other people's) children and grandchildren, without having to argue with their peers about Why are you making me do this thing we both know is pointless?

[pseudomonas]

Are they suggesting forcing everyone to vote, or just Young People? (it's a bad idea either way)

[franklanguage]

My reasoning has always been the quote—often attributed to Frank Zappa: "If you don't vote, they will."