Elections

[sft42]

Following on from Brawburd's question below does anyone else think it might be time to make voting compulsary unless you have a valid reason? As far as i am aware this is the case in a few European countries and it would at least ensure that we are more likely to get the parties in power that people really want.

[geofbob]

In the long term, when people just accepted voting as a matter of course, it might provide truly representative Parliaments etc. But in the short term, many people who resented being forced to vote might vote for oddball parties or in other perverse ways; and we might have some strange election results. Frankly, I'd rather being governed by local and national Govenments chosen by people interested enough to vote voluntarily, even if that is a minority of the electorate.

[Diogenes]

Only if there is a "none of the above" option. It is not reasonable to force people to choose between candidates, none of whom may actually represent the voter's ideals.

[WaldoMcFroog]

I agree with Diogenes - there should be a box to mark an inability or refusal to choose. Not so sure about forcing people to vote though. I think that at the moment, if you're too lazy to get off your bum and vote, you've no right to complain but the problem with the current system is that someone who refused to vote for any of the candidates for valid ideological reasons would look like a lazy b*gger too. So we need to change that.

[darth vader]

They made it compulsory in Australia and found that it actually prevented extremist or 'oddball' parties, from being voted in. Personally i say yes make it compulsory - you wouldn't have all these BNP fascists being voted in then

[football]

There is a "none of the above" option. Diogenes. It is by spoiling the ballot paper then putting said paper into the ballot box. Spoiling means putting a cross for every candidate or none of them.