In 2010, nearly 16 million registered electors did not turn out to vote. Is compulsory voting the answer?
In 2010, nearly 16 million registered electors did not turn out to vote. Next month a similar figure probably won’t make it to the polls.
Against this backdrop, some have called for voting to be made compulsory. One of those is Labour MP David Winnick, who has suggested that voting be made a ‘civic duty’. Similarly, the IPPR think tank has recommended compulsory first time voting, which it says could ’empower’ young people.
On the other hand, isn’t compelling people to vote a sign of democratic failure? Don’t politicians simply need to offer people an inspiring message which they actually want to vote for?
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29 Responses to “VOTE: Should voting (or actively abstaining) be compulsory?”
JAMES MCGIBBON
There is no excuse for not voting. You can have postal or proxy. The real poor in the old days walked to the polling stn to get change for us and they did. I think the poor as you call them are happy with their lot and are to fn lazy to vote.
Robert
Labour ATOS WCA and ESA, UNUM Provident.
Same for the Tories with more cuts.
Yes UKIP the only one with something I could have voted for, but I’ve been on the left all my life.
In fact I’ve voted labour since eighteen in 1968, but this is not labour in any way shape of form.
Robert
Vote for whom is the question we live in a Two party state, only now perhaps Scotland has broken that, well next time maybe.
JAMES MCGIBBON
Robert you seem obsessed with benefits.
Tommo
A Stalinist solution. People should be free to vote or not vote as they choose.