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CNN reports that when asked how to offset the influence of big money in politics, President Barack Obama suggested it's time to make voting a requirement. "Other countries have mandatory voting," said Obama "It would be transformative if everybody voted -- that would counteract money more than anything," he said, adding it was the first time he had shared the idea publicly.
"The people who tend not to vote are young, they're lower income, they're skewed more heavily towards immigrant groups and minority groups. There's a reason why some folks try to keep them away from the polls."
At least 26 countries have compulsory voting, according to the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. Failure to vote is punishable by a fine in countries such as Australia and Belgium; if you fail to pay your fine in Belgium, you could go to prison. Less than 37% of eligible voters actually voted in the 2014 midterm elections, according to The Pew Charitable Trusts. That means about 144 million Americans -- more than the population of Russia -- skipped out.
Critics of mandatory voting have questioned the practicality of passing and enforcing such a requirement; others say that freedom also means the freedom not to do something.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 23 2015, @07:16PM
I want to mod this "Informative" but I'm unable to verify that such programs (like the voting board coming to your house to let you vote) are real. There are also many places that won't allow early voting, or on the weekend, and/or put restrictions on allowing absentee voting, etc (many of which are Republican-ran areas - coincidence?). Voter suppression efforts are a very real threat and involving removing those other options of which you speak, in addition to ensuring that nobody even knows such options exist in the first place.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 25 2015, @02:46AM
Fair enough. Each of the programs I mentioned absolutely exist for my county an they are consistent with offerings of other counties in my state. We are a red state and the controlling party gets to decide how to carry out the voting process WRT going above and beyond. I vote early every time because I am always working the polls on election day. Early voting is open at the government center two weeks prior to election day. Early voting can be done M-S, only Sunday is unavailable.
I always have absentee ballots that I have to count as an inspector and some of these even arrive in the PM of election day. Absentee ballots can be mailed.
I never served on our traveling board but we have been using it for over a decade. Mostly senior citizens unable to travel take advantage of it.
In addition to being a red state we also require picture ID. If the state didn't offer a free ID, and it didn't have the travel board, if it didn't allow early voting, and it didn't allow absentee mail voting I would be concerned about some people not having an honest opportunity to vote as well. As it is now, I honestly fail to see why anyone would have an excuse not to vote.