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Post by husssar on Oct 23, 2007 5:25:46 GMT -7
In Australia voting is compulsory if you are 18+
If you dont vote you get a fine.
Should it be the same for Poland?
a 55% voter turn out is not very impressive.
I cant see how people who dont vote have the right to complain (eg parts of my family back there lol)
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Post by leslie on Oct 23, 2007 7:38:30 GMT -7
I can't remember/find the percentage of UK voters in the last election, so I cannot comment completely fairly. But voting here is completely voluntary and I believe is at least 85 per cent. The general feeling about non-voters is that it is their right to abstain and in so doing many are 'saying' not that they can't be bothered to vote but they 'don't like the party' which is essentially what they are voting for, and cannot see any alternative; or by not voting they are registering a vote of no confidence in the present government. Of course, there will always be a percentage who can't be bothered to vote.
I have not voted in the last two general elections because the constituency in which I live is so overwhelmingly in support of one particular party that the common saying is that 'if they put a monkey up as the candidate, it would be elected'. You may say that I should vote and consequently people with like ideas as mine also did so we might make a point. But there would be insufficient of us and it is felt that the point has already been made. The party support in constituencies does change, but there are some that will never change.
Leslie
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Post by kaima on Oct 23, 2007 10:49:34 GMT -7
I remember being quite enthused as a youth when I heard about "get out the vote" and voter registration drives. It seemed the best way to practice democracy was to maximize the voter turnout. Over the years since then I have seen some of the extremes in 'getting out the vote' and started to think, "do I REALLY want the lazy, the ignorant or those who don't care to vote at random of for the simplest of promises, and perhaps cancel out my 'educated' vote?"
So I am not in favor of compulsory voting nor in favor of going to extremes to get the lazy out to vote.
Kai
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zooba
Full Pole
Posts: 369
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Post by zooba on Oct 23, 2007 12:05:52 GMT -7
I agree with Kaima 100%. I someone does not care, why force them?
I'm happy to be able to vote, I've never missed any elections, but that's my personal choice.
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Post by husssar on Oct 24, 2007 8:35:24 GMT -7
Great point!
Its abit upsetting that its usually the ones that dont care that are the first to complain or are easily swayed by the media. =(
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