Should voting be required in America?

[Temari]

Today in APUSH we were doing current events, and this is what we talked about:

Source

The midterm election is usually lower than presidential elections, but this time around it's really low. The most current midterm election was at a historical low of 36.3%.

Even during presidential elections on average only 55% of the US population votes. If every US citizen 18 or older is allowed to vote, why is only half of the population voting? Why do you think that is?

Don't let the graph make it seem like years were better earlier. Keep in mind that up until the 1870s only white males that owned land could vote. And then, in the 1920s woman could vote. And finally, in the 1960s the Civil Rights Movement happened and segregation became illegal and states couldn't pick and choose who were allowed to vote. Anyone could vote in all the states regardless of race.

Couldn't you argue that the voter turnout has never been good? Should voting be a right or a requirement? In Australia, don't they fine people if they don't vote? Should America do something like that, too? This is a really interesting topic, so what are your opinions on why people aren't voting? Is America really the land of the free if only half of the population are having a say in the government?

I want to hear some of your opinions first, before I get into what I think I have something to say--
Personally, even though I'm not able to vote yet, it really pisses me off when I hear people who are clearly eligible to vote and that I know did not vote complain about the government and congress and what laws should be passed. Like, uHM??? Sorry not sorry, but you should not have the right to complain if you did not get up and vote. You are eligible and you are a citizen of this county, so vote before you start complaining about how they run things, lol.

Yeah, so what are your thoughts about this?

 

[Brackets]

Yeah I don't think its ever been that good. I'm not from the US, I'm British but I think our turnout is around the same level, unless I'm mistaken.
I myself find it incredible that some people don't vote, because I just think how can you not care about how your country is run?! It just makes me speechless.
But then, I don't think it should be a forced requirement, because there are people who really don't give a damn or follow politics at all, would you really want them being forced to vote? But yeah I agree, they definitely should not complain about the government when they didn't vote!

 

[Zanessa]

IMO this country is going nowhere so voting seems pointless now.

 

[Lady Timpani]

No, voting should not be required. People shouldn't have to make that decision if they don't want to.

Could the turnout be better? Of course. But I think our political system should be restructured to get people to actually want to vote. There are several states and districts where people don't vote because an incumbent is running pretty much unopposed, so there's no reason to vote.

We've actually discussed something similar to this in my AP Gov class before, and we read a book that had to do with reframing the Constitution to solve problems like this. If you're interested in politics and government, you may want to check it out.

 

[radical6]

Pretty sure some people can't vote depending on their intelligence or something if it's too low? Not sure why or the requirements but I know that's a thing in some states. But I know some anarchists who don't want to vote bc u know.. Anarchy lol. So yeah lots of people would be upset about it.

 

[tamagotchi]

While I don't particularly understand much of politics, I'm going to say no.

 

[Temari]

Yeah I don't think its ever been that good. I'm not from the US, I'm British but I think our turnout is around the same level, unless I'm mistaken.
I myself find it incredible that some people don't vote, because I just think how can you not care about how your country is run?! It just makes me speechless.
But then, I don't think it should be a forced requirement, because there are people who really don't give a damn or follow politics at all, would you really want them being forced to vote? But yeah I agree, they definitely should not complain about the government when they didn't vote!

I did a quick Google search and found this: http://www.ukpolitical.info/Turnout45.htm

I don't know much about UK history (besides the stuff in which America is involved with), but I'm sure there's a reason why there was a huge drop in voting since 2000 there.

IMO this country is going nowhere so voting seems pointless now.

Aha, yeahhh there are a lot of things not going too well, but maybe voting or even starting a new party might fix that ovo?

No, voting should not be required. People shouldn't have to make that decision if they don't want to.

Could the turnout be better? Of course. But I think our political system should be restructured to get people to actually want to vote. There are several states and districts where people don't vote because an incumbent is running pretty much unopposed, so there's no reason to vote.

We've actually discussed something similar to this in my AP Gov class before, and we read a book that had to do with reframing the Constitution to solve problems like this. If you're interested in politics and government, you may want to check it out.

How do you think it should be restructured? I took Adv. Government in 8th grade cause idk my school was weird and that was what they offered, and I learned a lot in that class. I'm gonna take APGOV in 12th grade, too ovo~

Pretty sure some people can't vote depending on their intelligence or something if it's too low? Not sure why or the requirements but I know that's a thing in some states. But I know some anarchists who don't want to vote bc u know.. Anarchy lol. So yeah lots of people would be upset about it.

The literacy rate in America is ~99% but I'm not sure if people who are mentally ill have voting restrictions. I would presume that it would be their choice because the 26th Amendment states, "Who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of age" and that is how voting has been since the amendment was added.

 

[ShinyYoshi]

I think a big problem is that people are uneducated on candidates and their views and what they want to do in office.
I don't think it should be required UNLESS people are aware of the people in the ballot. Uneducated voters are not something this country needs.

 

[mdchan]

I'm not a fan of politics, so I'm just going to say simply that I don't believe voting should be required. If it was, then we would get uneducated people who don't know which candidate is which turning in a ballot for issues they have no clue about. I certainly wouldn't want people like that adding to the votes of who gets into office or not.

Of course, if someone who could vote decides not to, they really shouldn't complain about the state of the government.

 

[SuperVandal]

I'm taking AP Gov and we talked about voter turnout briefly. Overall, I don't think voting should be mandatory. By not choosing to vote, people in a way are expressing their opinions on government. They are:

A) suggesting that they're too lazy to care
B) don't care regardless of who wins

A lot can be inferred from people not caring. Do they not care because they're satisfied with how the government runs as it is? Do they not care because they think it's pointless since they see no difference in how the government is run no matter who is elected? Scientists tend to think the former is true in this case.

 

[Jeremy]

No because a lot of people don't follow politics, so then they would be forced to make an uninformed vote.

 

[ThomasNLD]

There are many reasons thinkable for people not to vote:
Forced voting makes no sense to me. voting is a sign of democracy, being able to let your voice be heard. It is a right, not an obligation. Just as people are allowed to vote, people should have the freedom to decline.

As a person having lost faith in politics, I`ll will not be forced to vote. If they want to demand me to do my part, they first have to show some responsibility and show some integrity, trustworthyness and competence. As long as thats not the case, the hell with them.

And ofcourse I have a right to complain. does a person voting for the party in control has no right to complain if his/her party doesn`t follow their promised agenda? I`m a citizen of my country, pay taxes and they are paid from our salaries, also from the people who have not decided to vote.

 

[Justin]

No because a lot of people don't follow politics, so then they would be forced to make an uninformed vote.

Came in here to post this. I would prefer someone not vote at all than vote horribly uninformed.

 

[KermitTea]

I'm from Australia and my mom barely knows politics. Whenever it's time to vote she just picks a random name on the ballot or votes for the best looking guy lol

So I'd say its better to let people vote if the want to or vice versa, no point in forcing people to do so.

 

[Amichann]

Came in here to post this. I would prefer someone not vote at all than vote horribly uninformed.

I agree, the turn out would be dramatically different.

I don't think it should be required, however if people have the right to vote, they should exercise their right and vote. I think people should try to at least have a sense of what is going on in their country and their government so they can have a say in government.
But either way, that's my opinion; not everyone has the time to worry about politics.

 

[Eldin]

No because a lot of people don't follow politics, so then they would be forced to make an uninformed vote.

Basically this. If somebody's just going to pick a candidate at random, I don't want that person having a say. Especially if half of the voters are like that, I mean that's going to cause some issues.

Also like Thomas said, democracy is about having a choice and a say. And not voting is a choice as well, so making it mandatory would be slightly ironic.

But seriously, 55%? We're usually around 70% which isn't terrible, but last election was only around 60%. So I guess Canada is starting to become a little more indifferent as well. It kind of bums me out that so few people vote in general though.

 

[MisterEnigma]

I don't think a lack of voting reflects a no-care attitude necessarily, but some people might feel like no candidates have their best interests in mind, which I think is most politicians these days, truthfully. There's not a lot of incentive to vote if no one seems to be offering anything acceptable. Now as for what passes as an acceptable candidate, I think everyone has their own vision of what those should be. I don't think it should be mandatory, however. You shouldn't have to be forced to choose someone under pressure, it should be because you think they'll legitimately make positive changes.

 

[Goth]

why should and would it be required that is stupid

 

[Mega_Cabbage]

I think the requirement for voting would violate the right to freedom of speech. Some people simply don't want to vote because they don't like either candidate and are unhappy with their promises/ideals. They'll be forced into a clothes pin vote where they have to support the lesser of two evils.

 

[samsquared]

Nah. That goes against one of our most fundamental Constitutional rights (or should I say human rights)- autonomy.
Maybe individual insignificance and general apathy and inability to keep up with political information despite over-saturation of information, or maybe because of it- because there are too many distractions, too many other things with which to occupy our time and place importance on; plus how do you know which sources are reliable and which aren't- that we don't really think about it, factor into our inability to get to the polling booths.