Mandatory Voting Is a Terrible—and Insulting—Idea
20th March 2015
“It would be transformative if everybody voted,” he said. “That would counter money more than anything.”
No, it wouldn’t, not really. Well, first of all, let’s backtrack to the idea. Mandatory voting is a violation of our civil rights, just as denying a citizen a right to vote is a violation. Casting a vote is speech. It is showing support or opposition to a candidate or proposal. Making voting mandatory means voting is no longer a right. It’s an obligation. It’s forced speech. If we were forced to attend a church, but had a choice of several churches, we would still (most of us, anyway) recognize that this is a violation of our freedom to decline to practice religion at all. Not voting isn’t just an expression of apathy. It’s also a form of protest.
One of the purposes of not voting is to express the notion that ‘none of the above are correct’. If they would add that choice to every ballot, then my objections to mandatory voting would shrink amazingly. (But still not make them go away. The legitimate functions of government all involve making one not do something. Every time the government attempts to make one actually do something is an usurpation.)
March 20th, 2015 at 20:30
After 3 decades of voting…and watching those I helped gain office behave no better than the bums we voted out… I wrote the local election board and asked my name be struck from the rolls. I’m done with this version of government. It is hopelessly broken and to participate only renders legitimacy.
March 21st, 2015 at 04:09
I’m sure they’ll miss your speck of sand from the beach.
March 23rd, 2015 at 10:02
I’m willing to accept mandatory voting IF they will add an extra line to each race that reads, “None of the Above”. If “None..” wins, then that particular race is thrown out, all of the listed candidates are declared ineligible for the next election, and a new election is held.
Before anyone blows this off, think about how YOU would vote with the slate of likely candidates for President in the next election.
March 23rd, 2015 at 13:07
Wouldn’t mandatory voting require mandatory voter identification?
And how would the dead manage to get to the Democratic primary?
In some parts of the country (Chicago), mandatory voting (with ID) might result in a lower turnout than they’ve had historically.