UK Politics

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Mandatory voting, yes or no? (feddit.uk)

submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Sorry if this is the wrong place for this, It seemed pretty specific but I also understand if this is more a news sub.

Now for the topic at hand, I'm personally not a fan. I think it's a sticking plaster over the top of some significant shortcomings in education and disenfranchisement that fails to get people engaged in politics in a meaningful way.

The end game shouldn't be getting a load of ignorant voters to ignorantly cast a vote; it should be to have an informed, educated and interested electorate going out to perform their civic duty in a way that brings everyone into the process, old, young, rich and poor.

I'd much rather see a focus on teaching our young people how our system works, why it's important and how and why we have a duty as individuals to turn up to vote, hold our elected officials accountable and become a part of the democratic process.

What about you?

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 8 months ago (1 children)

We have it in Australia, but also have ranked preferential voting and stuff. Some people don't vote and cop the $40 fine (which is easy enough to get out of), some people send in empty ballots. Pretty much every primary school becomes a ballot centre for a day, as well as many churches and community centres, so it's not particularly omerous.

It probably improves state legitimacy if elections have a 95% turnout rate and is very cheap to implement without really changing the structure of parliament or the political class.

If you want those sorts of numbers without compulsory voting, you have to make voting easy to do, with accessible politicians from the local community, and feel like your choice in candidate is significant and impactful.

(Also, it's compulsory presence at a ballot centre, the votes are sealed and anonymous)