Should voting be encouraged?

[pevergreen]

I don't want stupid people voting.

+1

Mandatory here...its not really that hard to do. Depending how far away from a voting place you are, theres one 1 minute walk from my house, so...

[Rhyfelwyr]

I just see the presence of a democratic system as a safeguard against tyranny. Generally, I don't need to vote. But if a threat does arise, say, the BNP, then people could mobilise and make sure they don't get in. Simply the threat of having this mass mobilisation of voters is enough to prevent the fringe elements from getting into power, without having to actually exercise the right to vote.

In other words, if I feel the need to vote, the option is there, and knowing that alone should be enough to keep the politicians in line.

[Reenk Roink]

Very few things I'd actually bother and vote for but if they tried to make voting mandatory I'd vote against that.

[Crazed Rabbit]

I don't care to have the government or others encourage people to vote. If they don't feel strongly about political issues to vote on their own, they shouldn't be encouraged to vote.

Instead, people should be encouraged to get informed about politics, though doing that in a non-partisan way might be difficult. If becoming informed leads them to vote, so much the better.

CR

[Reenk Roink]

Instead, people should be encouraged to get informed about politics, though doing that in a non-partisan way might be difficult. If becoming informed leads them to vote, so much the better.

This is probably the best way to go about it.

[a completely inoffensive name]

I agree with CR as well. I think you could encourage people to get informed about politics by making the connection between politics and their life clearer. Many young people don't see how government impacts their lives out of naivety or ignorance perhaps but they don't. I tell my friends if you don't know what your voting about, don't vote. Also, if they have any questions about an issue they sometimes ask me to give a summary of the issue and I honestly try to give a balanced overview of each sides arguments and give examples of how each side will impact them if that side were to prevail.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I get angry when I miss a primary. I don't believe I have ever missed a general. It is inconceivable to me that an adult would NOT want to become informed and exercise the franchise.

However, a majority prefer not to do so. Encouraging them to do so and to do so in an informed fashion is a worthy goal, albeit not all that attainable. Forcing all to vote -- even the unrepentently ignorant -- does no service to any of us.