The only way to assure higher voter turnout for the younger generation (and the American population as a whole) is to mandate it.
The only way to assure higher voter turnout for the younger generation (and the American population as a whole) is to mandate it. According to Martin Wattenberg, author of "Is Voting for Young People?" compulsory voting is the commonly used phrase to describe the mandatory participation of adult citizens to participate in federal elections. The consequence for not voting would amount to paying a small fine ranging from $20-30. Compulsory voting is the only mechanism that will guarantee that younger generations of voters become politically engaged.
First it is necessary to clarify the implications of "compulsory voting." Given the nature of the modern secret ballot it makes it unfeasible to tell whether an individual has actually voted in the election or if they simply turned in a blank ballot. Therefore, compulsory voting doesn't necessarily force citizens to vote. It merely forces them to show up at the polls. Although this may seem ineffectual to some, recent experiences have shown that when someone is forced to vote they usually are compelled to make a decision for whom to vote. Of the industrialized democracies that have compulsory voting in effect, Australia has had the greatest success in voter turnout. According to the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems, Australia experienced an astonishing 97 percent youth voter turnout in 2004 with the system of compulsory voting in place. Other nations that had or have a compulsory voting law have experienced youth voter turnouts ranging from 82 to 91 percent.
Although compulsory voting is the only mechanism that would assure higher voter turnout by itself, there are other steps that should to be taken in an effort to quell any fears that this form of enforcement would be inherently biased against any certain group of people. One of the reasons many people cite for not voting is a lack of time due to other responsibilities (school, work, childcare, etc.). There are a variety of steps that can be taken to make the system less biased against college students, single parents and/or working adults. For one, the history of making Election Day the first Tuesday in November is a practice that needs serious revision. Shifting Election Day to the first Monday in November would be a great start in the right direction to opening the election process to more individuals. In conjunction with moving Election Day to Monday, Election Day should be a nationally recognized holiday similar to that of Labor Day. Making Election Day a nationally recognized holiday on the Monday after "Election Day weekend" would allow more people to make time to vote given that most jobs and all schools would be closed. Creating a three-day weekend commemorating the importance of Election Day would truly spotlight the importance of voting.
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As yes, let's FORCE people to vote. I think that if this country started to FORCE me to vote, I wouldn't vote on principle. We live in the land of the FREE (supposedly anyway). As much as I agree that voter apathy is rampant, forcing people to vote is NOT the answer. My choice NOT to vote is as much an expression of my political beliefs as voting for a particular candidate. I.E. in this particular election. McBama and O'Cain are identical - they're arguing over whether they want to sit in the front or that back of the bus that's going over the cliff. The bus is will going over the cliff! Their arguments are exactly the same - they just want to trim in slightly different areas or adjust something else over here. Neither one wants to get out of the bus and address the problems from a different perspective! My choice NOT to vote for either one of these men is just as much an expression of my frustration with the current political process. You want to FORCE me to pick a "lesser of two evils"? Please - a lesser evil is still EVIL!!! If you want to mandate voting - I wouldn't vote on principle.
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If either of the two major parties fielded a candidate who did not speak in useless platitudes and was different from the other candidate on more than just race, age, and catch phrases, you would see a much more energized voter base among the young and educated.
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Why is the solution to every problem in this country the use of government force and coercion against the American people? Fascist.
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Concerning the individuals who feel that they are being coerced or "forced" to vote please take the time to actually READ the article. As I stated in the article, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ACTUALLY PICK SOMEONE TO VOTE FOR. As you said Jochebed, SHOW UP TO THE POLL AND DON'T VOTE ON PRINCIPLE. The only mandate here would be for you to show up to the poll and turn in a blank ballot. After an election cycle or two, both parties would be forced to come to the realization that they are not clear enough on the issues!!!!! Why is everyone satisfied with the fact that 40% (and that's being generous) of the American population make all the political decisions in this country??? This system would also lead to the viability of a multiple-party system instead of the grossly unrepresentative two-party system. Also look up the definition of Fascism.... You sound like all those conservatives who are calling Obama's economic policies "communist".
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Sorry, when I read "mandate" and "compulsory"...how is that not FORCING someone to vote? Fascism (Merriam-Webster) - " a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control" How is this not a description of the trend of the United States of America? There are few activities in the US that don't involve the government. I can't buy a house, get a job, own a dog, drive a car, go to school without getting permission or notifying some level of the government. You want the government to know whether or not I voted...which will inevitably also give them notice of WHO I voted for. How is that not a certain level of fascist control? Certainly it matches the definition of a "police state" in which you can't do anything without the permission or notification of the government.
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Certainly your plan is a GREAT one if all you care about it numbers. If you intend on getting people educated and making good choices, you need to do more. You state that I could show up and turn in a blank ballot...so then there would still just be 40% of the population making political decisions for the rest of us. How has your plan changed ANYTHING at that point? FYI I'm not a conservative. Thanks for lumping me in with them and trying to make a political point that has nothing to do with this discussion. I CAN'T STAND EITHER McBama or O'Cain and am not voting for either.
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