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?”
Leon Wolfeson
Rot. I’m out to change the voting system, to create true choice.
Your view, that we should keep FPTP and only play within the options available is the negative one, the one of supremacy of the right.
It might work for right wingers, as you are, but not me.
Norfolk29
Tell us your proposal to replace FPTP. The New Statesman published an analysis of the main alternatives last year and I found it a confusing choice.
Leon Wolfeson
MMP. Specifically, I’d copy Germany’s system.
Norfolk29
They live in a permanent coalition. Currently, despite Merkel having a clear mandate she has to share power with the Social Democrats. Why not a County/City based system where you vote for a Party, as in the EU election and then the respective party candidates are appointed according to the share of the vote obtained within the County/City. Norfolk has about 5 MPs and all of them are either Tory or LidDem. Labour with 20per cent of the vote gets none when they should get one (as they do in the EU elections). In Scotland the Tories get 36%of the vote and only win one seat. Cameron won the 2010 election on 36% of the vote.
Leon Wolfeson
Like most countries, you mean? Where the government commands more than under a third of voters, and more than a quarter of the population?
You’re discussing mixing STV and a party list, rather than FPTP and a party list, as in AMS or MMP.
Your system is completely unproven, and I can see numerous issues which would have to be worked out with it, versus taking a system where the advantages and disadvantages are known.