Originally posted by @divegeester Surely it is an individuals democratic right and personal freedom to chose to not vote?
In Belgium and Australia (and a few others) it is not.
If you have no opinion, just cast a blank vote. It costs less effort than filing taxes. The benefit of more representative representation is substantial.
People who choose not to vote, or can't be bothered voting, get the results they deserve. For a true democracy, the voting population has to be consistent across the board, and only compulsory voting can give this a fair chance of happening. You can't legitimately say "I didn't vote for this" if you didn't vote for anything at all.
Originally posted by @kazetnagorra In Belgium and Australia (and a few others) it is not.
If you have no opinion, just cast a blank vote. It costs less effort than filing taxes. The benefit of more representative representation is substantial.
Oh I see, you are proposing a “none of the above” option? Yes I would agree with that.
Originally posted by @kazetnagorra In Belgium and Australia (and a few others) it is not.
If you have no opinion, just cast a blank vote. It costs less effort than filing taxes. The benefit of more representative representation is substantial.
In Australia there's a squabble over who goes at top of the ballot because people who don't want to vote just tick the top one. KN Logic 🙄
Nothing gets a control freaks panties wet like forcing people to do what they don't want to.
Originally posted by @wajoma In Australia there's a squabble over who goes at top of the ballot because people who don't want to vote just tick the top one. KN Logic 🙄
Nothing gets a control freaks panties wet like forcing people to do what they don't want to.
If there is a "vote for none" option, why do they not settle the argument by putting that first? I assume it's not because they're worried about "None of the below" actually winning.