VOTE: Should voting (or actively abstaining) be compulsory?

Left Foot Forward

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?”

  1. Leon Wolfeson

    Of course you think the poor love being poor…so typical.

  2. Leon Wolfeson

    I feel spoiling my ballot is how I best show my dislike for FPTP, myself.

  3. Leon Wolfeson

    Sure. And the way to get them engaged is to move parties far closer to their voters.
    That’s something PR brings.

    (Look at Scotland’s AMS!)

  4. Leon Wolfeson

    No, they’d still make convenient targets. The problem is FPTP.

  5. Norfolk29

    You are a true pessimist which politicians love. So long as they (the masses) believe they can have no power we will win. Why not reverse your opinions. Where you say all is lost, instead say “why not give it a try”. Ignore the Russell Brand negativism and adopt a positive approach. It works for me.

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