Americans, do you like optional voting or would you like compulsory voting?

Question

Any other countries can discuss if they like or don't like their system too.

Answer 1

This is such an interesting question. I would love compulsory voting. It's such a travesty when you find out only 1% of voters showed up at Town Meeting or not very many voted in the Presidential election. I don't know the statistics off the top of my head, but not nearly 100% of voters vote for the President. So we say Bush got voted by about half of America, but only half of the America that cared to vote. Ideally, everyone should be required to either vote for a candidate or say that they do not wish to vote.

But this presents a problem. Obviously my ideal world is not ideal after all. We certainly cannot force people to vote. In America, you have the right to vote as well as the right not to. But I would like it if more people voted. How can we have a democracy if only 60% of voters show up at the polls? Or 70%? Or only 80%? Ideally, people should be CONCERNED about not voting because they aren't getting their equal say. I wish there was a way to encourage people to vote or at least encourage people who do not wish to vote to send in a confidential form stating that they are waiving their constitutional right to pick a candidate and that they are doing so knowing that they could have picked a candidate and choose not to using the freedoms granted in our great country and are choosing to do in sound mind and body and not under duress either.

If there is one thing that needs to be changed about our democracy, it's VOTER PARTICIPATION!! Go to the polls!! Let's get the participation to 95-100%!!

Answer 2

i don't know about compulsory voting as an option in the u.s.a.
that just doesn't seem like it would be an appropriate representation of democracy to the rest of the world.
one thing i saw that i thought was interesting was a candidate somewhere (i'm sorry, i don't remember the name, state or office of candidate) thought it would be a good idea to set up an election revolving around a lottery. everyone who voted got a ticket for a chance to win $1 million dollars!! he figured that would get alot more people to the polls. i don't know if that is the best example of democracy...it sure is an excellent example of capitalism at work!! it's hard to tell if it would work, but it sure would be an interesting study in societal motivation!!

Answer 3

Optional - I don't want a vote from someone forced to vote deciding any election.

Answer 4

Well it wouldn't BE America if voting were compulsory, now would it?

Answer 5

I'm still convinced people will take voting seriously someday soon....It's too bad that it will take personal hardship for people to wake up (When they are pushed to the edge as individuals, not necessarily as a whole),but,
thats the 'medicine' that will bring them out to vote.

Take care.