to want voting to be compulsary?

[darleneoconnor]

Low turnouts are shameful.

Victories are hollow if less than half the electorate vote at all.

Can anyone who didn't vote please give me a good reason why?

I'm not suggesting throwing people in jail for not voting but the threat of a small fine (like the census, tv license, not updating DVLA details) would surely up voting numbers and make our country much more democratic?

If people don't want to vote for anyone, then turn up and spoil the ballot paper.

If folk don't what to vote for anyone, usually they just don't turn up!

I am against mandatory voting for several reasons. Forcing someone to do something doesn't seem very democratic. Then, how do you police it? How much would it cost the state to enforce/police? I do think everyone should vote but i don't think its right to force people to do so.

I would like compulsory voting - I see voting as a civic responsibility. It would be a big change for the first few times, but after that we'd be used to it and it would encourage people to take a greater interest in the country and how it's governed.

I would add a "none of the above" option to the ballot paper, and if that option wins, no-one represents that constituancy for the length of the next parliament.

my DH comes from a country with mandatory voting and it doesn't work -- lots of people are just under the radar, don't bother getting onto the equivalent of the electoral role etc. Also quite heavy handed, very easy for a dictatorial government to use failure to vote as an excuse to strong arm people into voting the way they want you to vote. Voter apathy is annoying but in a democracy people should retain the right not to vote as a protest. Or to be lazy inert gits as the case may be.

Can't see how having a constituency with no representative would benefit anyone????

They do this in Australia, if you are registered as an eligible voter and don't turn up there is a $50 fine. There was last time I was there in 2003 anyway. I agree if you don't vote then you have no right to complain about how the country is being run

YABU... I'd like more people to vote but think the answer lies more in 'carrot' than 'stick'. Easier ways to vote, for example. If X-factor can whistle up a far bigger voting percentage via phone, text and internet methods, can we transfer that experience to elections? I think local councils also have to do a lot more to show what it is they do for the community... why it matters who's in charge.

I didnt vote. I had no idea what it was about, and didnt even know it was happening until I found out teh schools were off that day.

While I think it's everybody's responsibility to vote, I think mandatory voting would be a very worrying way to go.

If people don't want to vote for anyone it would be better imo for them to spoil their votes so they're at least registering a protest. It's apathy that makes me cross.

Some of us don't want any of them in. When it's a choice between two corrupt thugs should we vote for one just for the fun of it? Maybe what we need is a means to vote against that doesn't require voting for someone just as bad.

If people don't want to vote for anyone, then turn up and spoil the ballot paper

Why? That is just silly and makes more work for those counting.

What you are seeing if you look closer IS democratic. People by not joining in are voting for the end of the current system.

YANBU - I think there should be a spoil your vote box etc to tick if you don't want to vote for any of the candidates. My granny is 99 and this is the first election she hasn't voted in, she nearly went through me for a shortcut when I told her I hadn't voted yet last time. She says that women and people of her religion fought long and hard for the vote and she'll use it!! said with much venom for a woman in her 90's

People by not joining in are voting for the end of the current system.

I don't support mandatory voting but I disagree with that statement. Most non-voting is apathy rather than conscious choice.

I am certain that if there was a vote online option then the percentage would greatly increase. I do vote but I imagine for some people trailing to a polling station is a reason for not bothering either that or faffing about with a postal vote.

I agree TheBride. To spoil a vote you have to make the effort to turn up so you're actively making a statement about not wanting to vote for any of the options.

With rights come responsibilities, is my view.

I see voting as a responsibility.

I mean, it is most unlikely to happen here, but can you imagine the news one day "People clearly don't want to vote so we will be having no more elections"

No. You have a duty to vote.

I would like to see compulsary voting - with a box marked "abstain", so that if none of the candidates, you feel, deserve your vote, you can abstain. But you have to actively abstain.

Not turning up is ignoring the whole thing, is opting out of the process. That changes nothing. Anyone who thinks that politicians care if 50% of people don't bother voting or would ever say well, clearly people are telling us they don't like the system... well, they're nuts.

we've not had the AV referendum because politicians have realised the people aren't happy with the system, we've had it because it was part of the deal between cameron and clegg.

It would be interesting, as a first step, to add an 'abstain' box to the papers. To see if more people actually did turn up to vote if they had an abstain option. THAT would tell us if low turnouts are a protest or voter apathy.

I know which way I'd be betting.

"Some of us don't want any of them in" So why not stand for election yourself? Or persuade someone you think could do a good job to stand? That's got to be a better answer than disengaging completely from how your town or country is run.

There is no way of knowing if non-attendance is due to apathy or not agreeing with any of the parties.

Compulsory voting and a 'none of the above' box are both great ideas imo.

Yes YABU.

I didn't vote and never have done. I'm not politically educated and don't have the time or the inclination to find out. Politicians all seem to be liars who never do what they say they are going to anyway.

As I don't know any information about any of the candides or parties don't you think it would be rather irresponsible of me to go and vote just for the sake of it?

I'm sure the way I feel is highly agianst your personal views and I shall get flammed now but not everyone is interested in politics!

Whilst part of me thinks it should be compulsory, in a democratic country I suppose people should have the freedom of choice. But the apathy of people amazes me. I would never consider not voting because of the suffragettes.

Surely though you must have some interest in the running of the country? I have no idea about politics either but I do pay income tax, council tax, use schools, hospitals, roads etc

But even those who didn't vote because they wanted to watch their favourite TV program are still effectively voting. Their choice may not be well thought out, but it's their choice. That's kind of the point.

Look at how many of the thoughtful, responsible people voted Tory! If only they'd done the decent, sensible thing and stayed at home :o )

(For balance I must say that voting Labour would be like electing a donkey. It doesn't matter if it's a nice donkey with cute ears. It has no business running a country)

Yes, I've drummed it into my kids (one of whom is old enough to vote now) that people fought and died to win the right for everyone to vote. It's a hard-won right and privilege and with that comes responsibility.

It's so important to turn out and exercise that democratic right.

I disagree that it's their choice. It should be a duty to participate in elections, in the same way that it is a requirement to participate in Jury Service.

No, that's fine. That is your choice. Your right.

As long as you never moan about schools, public services, police, benefits (incl tax credits) war, government spending, the state of the roads, employment law, VAT being at 20%, the health service provisions, funding, decisions, council tax, income tax, ni contributions,...

and so on and so forth.

Basically, if you choose to opt out of the process and say it's not relevent to you and it's not interesting and you're not interested, then you lose the right to complain about everything in life that is the result of politics.

Because you gave up your voice.

I absolutely agree that there should be other ways of voting. If we can fill out the census online then we can vote. You simply register how you would prefer to vote and assuming a lot of people, including me, would rather vote online then you have fewer people expecting at the polling stations so fewer stations per area, fewer schools closed etc.

I think we'd see a big increase in numbers if you didn't have to schlep to a random school in the area.