Why should I vote?

[mullan2304]

Is it right for the mandatory voting to be in place, seeing as the greater amount of the population have little to no idea about who would be best to vote on.

How can the average person be expected to read through all the hype from all of the major parties, when there are 1000's of experts on either side saying that the other one is either completly wrong or lying.

Should we all just go on gut feel about which politition we should trust?

Is an uninformed vote really worth counting?

 

[3viltoast3r]

I feel that voting shouldnt be compulsory - Im 18, and most of the people I know dont have any interest in politics, and particular no clue.
-Some will vote sex party, just cos
-Some will vote for the oppposition, because the government are pricks, just like "da copz that took my goon, man"
-Some will vote based on the popularity contest/bandwagon jumping
etc etc

 

[Broken Bones89]

I feel that voting shouldnt be compulsory - Im 18, and most of the people I know dont have any interest in politics, and particular no clue.
-Some will vote sex party, just cos
-Some will vote for the oppposition, because the government are pricks, just like "da copz that took my goon, man"
-Some will vote based on the popularity contest/bandwagon jumping
etc etc

you forgot the donkey voters

 

[PINT of Stella. mate!]

Can't say I'm a fan of the aussie system.

Compulsory voting is just plain shit. Compulsory voting when your choice boils down to a bogan machiavellian witch or a jug-eared incompetent religious fundamentalist, is shit drizzled in a stale urine and armpit sweat jus.

Compulsory voting when your choice boils down to a bogan machiavellian witch and a jug-eared incompetent religious fundamentalist ON A SATURDAY!!! is just sadistic!

In the UK, voting isn't compulsory however the elections are usually held on a Tuesday. This generally guarantees a high turnout as it's an excuse to f*** off from work early!

 

[IronPony]

 

['Ross]

Yep compulsory voting does suck, I think only about 20 other countries in the world have the same system?

What would happen if you turned 18 and never enrolled at all? Would you still get fined?

My boss at work hasn't voted the last couple of times and just copped the $130 fine I'm already enrolled so have to turn up and think of an inappropriate comment to put on my pieces of paper, but I always wonder what would happen if I never signed up in the first place.

 

[Nerf Herder]

you need to be grown up about it ... go to the doctors, get a certificate ... be an adult already.

My GP doesn't even ask anymore ... last time, his receptionist issued it to me after billing my card ... thats efficiency for you.

The problem however, is that words gotten round that he's a "no questions asked" kinda Doctor so now it takes longer to get a cert, then it does to go to the local primary school hall and just put two marks ... one each on the white and green bits of paper ... so fark it ... I'm voting for the "We Grew Here U Flew Here" party again.

Doesn't matter I actually arrived by Boat

To Ross ... they'll still find you (cross checkin to medicare, birth records, Citizenship, Tax returns etc etc) ... it just takes longer and its an accumulative fine.

 

[MasterOfReality]

At least you can vote, so that something you can't really whinge about.

I voted early this year as I'll be interstate on election day - I think I'm going to do this every year. No line up and no idiots thrusting HTV cards in your face. Quick, easy and quiet.

I usually don't like anything thats compulsory, but voting should be in my opinion otherwise it won't be a fair contest.

 

[maskerade]

If you donkey vote or choose not to you have ZERO say about anything and whinging won't change it. If you don't think their is anyone worth your vote don't vote but don't complain. If it's that bad move to another country?

 

[DWNHLR01]

I don't vote...All parties are as bad as one another. Voted once...stat vote (I'm not enrolled) and just wrote 'Does the pope wear a funny hat' on the paper.

 

[Spanky_Ham]

If you donkey vote or choose not to you have ZERO say about anything and whinging won't change it. If you don't think their is anyone worth your vote don't vote but don't complain. If it's that bad move to another country?

yes totally agree.... if you waste your vote, you also waste your chance to complain, whinge.... so, donkey vote = STFU... you had your chance...

... so fark it ... I'm voting for the "We Grew Here U Flew Here" party again.

Doesn't matter I actually arrived by Boat

If you get video of you "supporting" the "we grew here, u flew here" out the front of polling booth..... cupcake you do win!

Can't say I'm a fan of the aussie system.

Compulsory voting is just plain shit. Compulsory voting when your choice boils down to a bogan machiavellian witch or a jug-eared incompetent religious fundamentalist, is shit drizzled in a stale urine and armpit sweat jus.

Compulsory voting when your choice boils down to a bogan machiavellian witch and a jug-eared incompetent religious fundamentalist ON A SATURDAY!!! is just sadistic!

well, could not of articulated the pigs thoughts without blatantly ripping your shit off there POSM.... so, just quote and agree... then rinse, always rinse before repeating

 

[thecat]

Not voting is a major cop out imo

The political parties are not perfect but nothing ever is. By choosing not to vote or to donkey vote you give complete control to an "elite" bunch of political wankers.

It might make you feel better that you you don't feel responsible for how things go because didn't vote in which ever political party gets the gong but you didn't vote them out either.

 

[Arete]

The thing about both major parties that shit me completely is that I reckon if I went out on the street today and handed portfolios to a bunch of randoms, they'd be likely to do as good if not a better job than either administration...

just imagine if they gave the environmetal portfolio to you know, an environmental scientist, the economic portfolio to you know, an economist, the transport portfolio to an urban planner etc and so on, then sat them down in a room to work out how to priortise and implement what needs to be done...

Instead of a bunch of career politicians who are experts in getting elected and that's about it shuffle around portfolios and jobs like they're poker hands.

Personally, I think we need to abolish the possibilty of becoming a career politician. Make the job a lucrative spot for the duration, but fuck off the pensions and long term benefits. But oh wait, who decides what pollies get paid? Themselves.

This election and the way the Rudd/Gillard and Turnbull/Abbott admininstrations have behaved since 2007 clearly shown that the system is broken, at least in my eyes.

 

[Knopey]

I don't trust the pricks who give enough of a hoot to vote if it wasn't compulsory, to vote correctly. Does that make sense?

Hence I tend to agree with compulsory voting - otherwise only the squeaky wheels would have their way and squeaky wheels usually represent the (kooky) ends of the bell curve. I know countries without compulsory voting still do "ok" but still...

(It's about the only "compulsory" governance-related thing I agree with though.)

This election is hard though because one party has policies I don't really agree with, one party has a leader I can't support in any way, and the supposed "alternative" party are a single-issue train wreck waiting to happen if they end up with much more power.
Whatever happened to the Democrats? Oh that's right, they self-immolated...

Bring back Bob'Awk - at least people cared one way or the other.

 

[Tomas]

You dont actually have to vote - you just have to turn up and have your name marked off.

Not that i'm advocating anything Mark Latham has to say, if you honestly dont care, go informal.

 

[DeBloot]

Apathy and low voter turn out (plus a bit of creative counting in the 2nd term)
Saw the US suffer 8 years of George W
The world was almost brought to its knees
Before the general populace woke up and voted

I'm probably generalising a bit here
But the rich c***s vote to keep themselves in their nice lifestyles
While a lower socio-economic or younger demographic would prefer not to vote
Because neither party will make much difference to their lives

That would be my worry about non-compulsory voting
Not all people too apathetic to vote (if not enforced) will vote informal
They will be forced to make a decision

Voting is no more painful that wearing seat belts and helmets
And all those other rules we have to abide by or be fined

Oh, and it's about 2 hours of your time every 3 years FFS
Nothing's perfect - have your say or give up your right to complain anywhere to anyone
If you think their will be no difference between a government led by Abbott or Gillard
Then good luck to you - because where I sit there's a big f*****g difference

 

[PSYCHO-T]

The worst part about it being on a saturday is I am F&*KING working 8-5 and i cant go home early because im in charge of the other incompitant staff memembers. (yes its my job to be incharge)

But to the OP, if you dont want to vote just don't, cop the fine. Just dont come to us and say "oh bros i gots a fully sic fine because i was a hung over boganz"

And i think we all know a stupid party is going to get power this year... "C'mon" the climate change skeptics party.

 

[LQQK]

You dont actually have to vote - you just have to turn up and have your name marked off.

This is not true, it has been getting a lot of publicity since Latham said it, but it just goes to show you how poor our mass media is in that they cannot do any basic journalistic enquiries. It has been upheld in at least 5 legal decisions that you have a legal obligation to vote formally.

High Court 1926 – Judd v McKeon (1926) 38 CLR 380
Supreme Court of Victoria 1970 – Lubcke v Little [1970] VR 807
High Court 1971 – Faderson v Bridger (1971) 126 CLR 271
Supreme Court of Queensland 1974 – Krosch v Springbell; ex parte
Krosch [1974] QdR 107
ACT Supreme Court 1981 – O’Brien v Warden (1981) 37 ACTR 13

The Australian Electoral commission does recognise that: “Because of the secrecy of the ballot, it is not possible to determine whether a person has completed their ballot paper prior to placing it in the ballot box. It is therefore not possible to determine whether all electors have met their legislated duty to vote”.

 

[Moggio]

Really if you have enough of an opinion to think that you shouldn't have to vote then you should probably pull your head out and get one, your not far off from getting something worthwhile, and not go the fall back lame excuse.

The average sheep who votes what their parents did, or what Gillard's hair is like, or Abbott is ugly or Pauline wears a nice frock and never thinks about it are the ones to worry about.

Really voting is necessary, its part of what makes our country what it is and what democracy is. If people can use those few braincells they waste choosing who they think should win Australian Idol, Masterchef or what is the difference between shimano and SRAM they would be well on the way to have a decent opinion on voting.

Saying there is no difference or no point is just such a weak and lame excuse. There are differences and options, they just may not be served up on a platter this election to make it as nice and simple (or they may not meet your fairytail dream of what you personally want either) , but brains and democracy and freedom of information are kind of great things so they should be used.

 

[smeck]

The worst part about it being on a saturday is I am F&*KING working 8-5 and i cant go home early because im in charge of the other incompitant staff memembers. (yes its my job to be incharge)...........

You've got to hate those incompitants!

There are pre-polling booths that you can go to and vote early, as I did this morning. You sign a decleration saying you can't vote normally due to a whole list of easily achieveable reasons, get the ballot papers and cast your vote. There are generally a heap less vote card pushers as well, it's a much more peaceful process.


People vote for all sorts of reasons. I'm not a fan of compulsory voting but I think it does give us a better campaign. Currently the options are shit, but most elections are full of policy and aimed at winning votes, not making the other party lose them. I've not seen a lot of the UK stuff but US elections are based around trying to motivate people to actually go down to a polling booth. At least in compulsory voting people aren't knocking on my door trying to sign me up. TV ads are easily avoided with the big OFF button.

Perhaps PoSM can discuss his observations of the election differences that eventuate with a voluntary voting system?