Vote and Win!!!

[Wezil]

Originally posted by Donegeal
Ok... so this would be a way to get people to the polls... low voter turn out would be solved.

Now how do we get people to vote based on issues once we got them to the voting booths?

I heard a radio interview with Osterloh a couple days ago.

Your question was asked of him. He answered by referring to countries where voting is mandatory (Australia was his preferred example) and claimed that voters will educate themselves to some extent if they know they will be voting.

Perhaps someone from Australia has thoughts on this? He (Osterloh) claims you have 95% voter turnout - Are the 95% educated and informed voters?

I must confess, this is my concern as well.

[Geronimo]

at worst this is no worse than legally compelling people to vote as is done in a few places.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Wezil
Perhaps someone from Australia has thoughts on this? He (Osterloh) claims you have 95% voter turnout - Are the 95% educated and informed voters?

Are the 50% who vote in the US elections educated and informed?

[Wezil]

Originally posted by Spiffor

Are the 50% who vote in the US elections educated and informed?

My guess is they are more informed than those that don't vote at all...

If you are implying all voters are uninformed then I would have to say you are dead wrong.

[DanS]

If randomized telephone polling is to be trusted, there's only a marginal difference between the voting and non-voting public.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Wezil
My guess is they are more informed than those that don't vote at all...

I'm not sure about that. I'm a political activist, and I haven't seen so much difference in political savviness among those who vote and those who don't. The main difference I've noticed isn't political competence, but trust/distrust toward the political system, and the feeling of identification to a party.
Those who both identify with no party, and who utterly distrust politicians, are clearly the least likely to vote, even if their decision comes from a long and hard thinking.

If you are implying all voters are uninformed then I would have to say you are dead wrong.

I don't imply to say such a thing. I've talked with enough voters to know that many are informed. But not all, far from it.

[Wezil]

Good points. I can see myself in that category.

I am reasonably informed of issues but dislike my political options. I am more inclined to spoil my ballot than vote for the 'lesser of evils', but I still go to the polls...

[Provost Harrison]

If done correctly (ie, independently of vote cast) I think this is a really good way of encouraging people to go to the polls...

[Skanky Burns]

Originally posted by Wezil
Perhaps someone from Australia has thoughts on this? He (Osterloh) claims you have 95% voter turnout - Are the 95% educated and informed voters?

I must confess, this is my concern as well.

Pretty much the entire population votes (or are too young). Those above 18 that don't, become another revenue source for the government.

What tends to happen is that political platforms focus on issues that affect everyone, rather than just those affecting the educated and informed - the people who bother to vote in other countries. In truth though, the platforms of the two main parties are virtually identical.

[Jon Miller]

I would be in favor of enforced voting. Although one of the options should be a 'null' vote.

Jon Miller

[Skanky Burns]

The law requires people attend a voting station, not that they enter a valid vote. A blank voting card or a card filled with smilie faces are enough to satisfy the letter of the law. After all, voting is strictly private - who would know if it was your voting card that was filled out incorrectly?

[Donegeal]

Skanky.. you really live in Florida, don't you?

[Skanky Burns]

[alva]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
I would be in favor of enforced voting. Although one of the options should be a 'null' vote.

Jon Miller

So am I. It's not a perfect solution but it is the solution to the problem imo.

(Belgium is mandatory voting too.)