Should Prisoners Have Voting Rights?

[Black Orchid]

I was reading a story over at OzPol that got me thinking about prisoners' rights to vote in Australia.

Currently in Australia prisoners lose their right to vote in Federal elections if they are incarcerated for longer than 3 years. Human rights campaigners believe that all prisoners should have the right to vote while they are incarcerated.

Personally, I think that you should forfeit your right to vote if you commit a crime which lands you in jail for longer than 3 years. Too often human rights are used as an excuse for unacceptable behaviour so shouldn't rights go hand in hand with responsibility?

[Lucas]

I agree, 3 years sounds reasonable.

The bleeding hearts from the left get bored sitting on their fat asses all day on the pension or dole. They need votes from anywhere. Labor got it by selling out australia and importing them through the back door with illegal immigrants, why not try prisoners now. They have no scruples they are labor supporters after all.

[Outlaw Yogi]

I spent time in max security at Parramatta (mid to late 90s) and was told that loss of voting rights had been repealed and that prisoners would have compulsory voting like everybody else. I posed the question "They think they can make us vote?" and about a dozen inmates laughed. Main prob would not getting shived with the pencil for voting wrong.

[Jasonofabitch]

Human Rights have put the welfare of the Prisoners

BEFORE

the Rights & Welfare of the rest of Humanity.

[Super Nova]

Imagine a lawless society with say 10% of the people in prison.

Their vote could control the outcome of an election or of a single seat. Organised crime would take advantage of this. They would like stupid laws like this.

This is just PC nonsense. You lose the right to liberty. You should lose the right to a vote. When you have paid your dues.... you get all normal rights back.

[Neferti]

Australia should NOT have compulsory registration to Vote. End of. If you are on the Roll and don't bother, the fine is $20 ...... WOW!

I have fronted up to vote several times and found that my name was missing, so I could not vote. I could have filled out masses of forms but why would I bother? The Electoral Office stuffed up, as I had not moved anywhere.

My little vote doesn't count for much here in ALP Canberra, still. It should be a choice to vote or not a vote.

Getting back on topic. PRISONERS SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE. OR do anything else the rest of us law abiding citizens have .........

[boxy]

So far, the only person to give a reason to restrict prisoner's right to vote has been SN, and it's a painfully weak reason, really.

Voting is a right, and in fact a responsibility, in a healthy democracy. Prisoners have other rights taken away, as a punitive measure, however removing the right to vote has almost no effect on the prisoners themselves, and only diminishes us as a democratic society.

[Aussie]

So far, the only person to give a reason to restrict prisoner's right to vote has been SN, and it's a painfully weak reason, really.

Voting is a right, and in fact a responsibility, in a healthy democracy. Prisoners have other rights taken away, as a punitive measure, however removing the right to vote has almost no effect on the prisoners themselves, and only diminishes us as a democratic society.

Perhaps you can explain then boxhead, why those who are in for less than three years retain the right to vote, and those three + one day don't?

(Good luck, because I can't.)

[Jasonofabitch]

Agree with both.

[Rorschach]

Personally I agree with boxy, if they are citizens they should have the right to vote.