It's compulsory to go to vote in Australia

[den]

Why this is so, how it works, and who can and can't vote

It is compulsory to go to vote. What you do after your name is marked off is up to you because no one checks your vote for validity. A high return of invalid votes indicates dissatisfaction with the choices. In other words "None of the above."

Just an FYI for you Seppos.

Comments

[bookofnights.livejournal.com]

Ok, I give. What's a Seppo?

[hendikins.livejournal.com]

= septic tank = yank

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

Rhyming slang.

Seppo = Septic Tank = Yank.

[ngarewyrd.livejournal.com]

Every single voting period, I get into an 'involved discussion' regarding the Compulsary vote thing

this year, it was regarding the fact that the person didn't like the idea of being 'forced' into getting off their fat butt and spending fifteen minutes every four years at a polling booth

that, and they didn't wish to be forced into having an opinion.

this is despite a good number of facts pointing out that it has obvious benificial reasons behind it.

[zibblsnrt.livejournal.com]

I kinda like the idea of people that actively indifferent being denied the franchise, but...

[copperwolf.livejournal.com]

I like the idea of a compulsory vote. I bet there are a lot of people in the U.S. who don't bother to vote, but wouldn't mind much if it were compulsory -- provided they got paid for taking time off work to do so. How much is the fine for not voting?

I also like the preferential voting system.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

AU$50 or so. it's not a lot, and there's no criminal record attached.

[azhreia.livejournal.com]

provided they got paid for taking time off work to do so

one of the odd ways in which australia is profoundly different to the US is the idea of the sacred saturday.

Saturday afternoon shopping(and thus work in the retail sector), followed some years later by sunday shopping, is only a relatively recent thing in australian history.

so much is the idea of saturday afternoons being a non-work period that almost everything that happens here, happens on a saturday. Most weddings are on a saturday. Elections ALWAYS happen on a saturday. Big sporting events are nearly always on a saturday (or sunday).

heck, where I used to live the buses stopped running at 2:30pm on saturday, even now, even though the shops are now open till 5. This is a throwback to when the shops shut at midday on saturday and didn't open again till 9am Monday.

when I first grokked the concept that in the US sporting events happen on weekdays and people take time off work to go to them, it amazed me. Then when I realised that elections were held on weekdays I was astounded.

thus the concept of "paid time to go vote" is one which would have most aussies scratching their heads.

Our polling places are usually set up in the hall or gymnasium of the local primary school. Much of the work is done by trained volunteers. the polling booths are open from 8am to 6pm, precisely so that the poor sods who do go to work on Saturday have time to go either before or after work.

<fx: shakes head in wonderment> you 'murricans is weird ;-)

[sjwt.livejournal.com]

I love the idea, if only because one hears storys about ppl in other coutrys beeing payed extra to goto work and not being given time off to vote..

[kythrain.livejournal.com]

I've wished they would do this in the US ever since I heard about the idea. It makes good sense, especially since if you really want to cast a vote of no confidence you just don't fill out the ballot.

[weyrdbird.livejournal.com]

Click on the line below to vote on the Florida Ballot:


http://wearabledissent.com/101/floridaballot.html


ain't it the truth? :D