Compulsory voting

[therealmiranda]

In light of plans in Qld to potentially scrap compulsory voting, I thought I would share a post I wrote a while ago for Cheaper Than Rubies (just after the US election).

Americans headed to the polls yesterday to re-elect Barack Obama as the President of the United States. Voting turnout in the US was lower than Obama’s first election victory in 2008, but he was still managed to make history yet again becoming the second Democrat to win a second four-year White House term since World War II.

The US election caused Australians to question our own political system – why is there so much interest in an election that we have no say in and so little interest in political debate within Australia?

One of the fundamental differences between our systems is compulsory voting. In the US voting is completely voluntary, and politicians need to woo voters; inspire them to leave their homes and exercise their right to vote.
In Australia, compulsory voting in federal elections was introduced in 1924 while compulsory enrolment for federal elections had been introduced in 1912.

Looking back at our history of voting, it seems compulsory voting was introduced to fight a growing apathy. Only 71 per cent of the population voted at the 1919 election, but this had dropped to less than 60 per cent by the 1922 election. And the impact was immediate. The turnout at the 1925 election was over 91 per cent.

Victoria introduced compulsory voting in 1926, NSW and Tasmania in 1928, WA in 1936 and SA in 1942. Qld had already introduced complusory voting in 1915.

Australia is among only 22 other countries with compulsory voting. And only 10 countries, including Australia, actively enforce it. And out of the 30 member states of the OECD, of which Australia is one, only 10 has forms of compulsory voting.

If voting were to become voluntary I believe there would be a definite shift in the way politicians operate during elections. Campaigns would become so much more consuming and overwhelming of the public as they fight for your vote.

Voting is a right, and a responsibility – one so many people take for granted. It is a shame that while people all over the world fight and campaign for the right, Australians readily dismiss it as a mere annoyance.

But while it is a right, and a responsbility to be taken seriously, we do live in a democratic nation and the question of voluntary voting is worthy of debate.

Should we as a nation change our compulsory laws and move in line with so many other countries? Would this encourage more active engagement with politics or increase levels of apathy to a point of non-involvement? Would you change your current voting habits if voting were to become voluntary in Australia? Let us know what you think via our comment section, on our Facebook page or on Twitter.

http://cheaperthanrubies.com/2012/11/08 ... -you-vote/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



And to read more about Campbell Newman's plans -
Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensl ... z2Grpp4hsS" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rorschach]

let them... it'd be a good experiment to see how it worked out.

Most Australians vote... we have a very low invalid vote count. I'd like to think most would still vote. but those that choose not to will be exercising true democracy and not distorting the vote.

[Black Orchid]

I don't think it would make much of a difference. Compulsory voting is engrained in the Aussie psyche. It might save some a visit to the booths to make a 'donkey vote'

If people really don't want to vote they won't. They will either submit a blank ballot or cop the fine. Local/Council elections should be non compulsory though

And the free buses to ferry constituents for free tea and bickies after they vote will still be running no doubt

[therealmiranda]

I totally agree about local elections. I never know any of the candidates anyway (except for the time my mother ran)

[Black Orchid]

I got a fine for not voting in the last Council elections. There were Wards and inside each Ward there were sub sections. A dozen candidates listed in each Ward with no allegiance to any party specified.

Too confusing and, even with research, little information was offered. Pppfffttt

[Mattus]

Perhaps one of the reasons Australians dismiss voting as an inconvenient civic duty is because, unlike Americans, we are not allowed to directly elect our executive branch of government.

It's hard to get excited about your gibbering, pencil pushing local member. It's damn near impossible to get worked up over local council issues for anyone under the age of 65. While we might be able to summon up the energy to vote in or out a prime minister, none of us actually have the chance to, save those few hundred in the caucus of the two major parties.

It's a Demi-democracy. While we are allowed to play around in the kiddy pool of local government, were not trusted to elect our own executive. If we're going to keep it hat way, best to keep voting compulsory, otherwise the temptation to not give a damn will be overwhelming. Or better still, force the executive to stand for election to the position, rather than by appointment by the caucus. Then perhaps we will take an interest enough to bother voting.

[mellie]

I honestly didn't see this thread before creating the other one Miranda, my apologies.



In any case, one cant have too much of a good thing.

Nice Blog Miranda.

http://cheaperthanrubies.com/

[therealmiranda]

No worries at all Mel

[mellie]

I got a fine for not voting in the last Council elections. There were Wards and inside each Ward there were sub sections. A dozen candidates listed in each Ward with no allegiance to any party specified.

Too confusing and, even with research, little information was offered. Pppfffttt

Likewise, I got fined for not voting at a council election also.. .. I was in between interstate addresses, and had no idea that an election was taking place.

[Neferti]

Perhaps one of the reasons Australians dismiss voting as an inconvenient civic duty is because, unlike Americans, we are not allowed to directly elect our executive branch of government.

It's hard to get excited about your gibbering, pencil pushing local member. It's damn near impossible to get worked up over local council issues for anyone under the age of 65. While we might be able to summon up the energy to vote in or out a prime minister, none of us actually have the chance to, save those few hundred in the caucus of the two major parties.

It's a Demi-democracy. While we are allowed to play around in the kiddy pool of local government, were not trusted to elect our own executive. If we're going to keep it hat way, best to keep voting compulsory, otherwise the temptation to not give a damn will be overwhelming. Or better still, force the executive to stand for election to the position, rather than by appointment by the caucus. Then perhaps we will take an interest enough to bother voting.

Australia should break its ties with Britain and become a Republic. Get rid of the Union Jack and etcetera. Howard's idea was wrongly put (deliberately?) but I still voted for Australia becoming a Republic. Once The Queen is dead we can probably do this again.

I also think that so-called compulsory voting should be changed so that people who do NOT want to vote don't need to "cross their names off the Rolls" or get fined. The Electoral Rolls are a good thing, should you be researching your Australian ancestors. Other countries used the Census and recorded names, but not Australia.

Also, the 3 tier system need to be looked at. Does Sydney really need Federal. State and Local Government? Think of the savings if Sydney only had State Government which did all the usual stuff like garbage collection, rates, etc. You can't tell me that the NSW Government PS are overworked.