What do you call a country that if you don't vote in politics you get a fine of $20:00?
I just did and my excuse was the voting place was shut. In Australia by the way
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SW-User
I was sick with the flu once and didn't vote. I just wrote them a letter and didn't have to pay the fine.
While i don't like most things that are compulsory, the benefit to compulsory voting as i see it is that it prevents the influence of the few who participate in the election results becoming too strong and gives better representation to certain areas. Also according to stats that i've read, a high turnout reduces the financial expenditure for election campaigns. Our election campaigns are also very short.
The downside is that some consider being forced to vote a violation of personal freedoms. Some people also see not voting as a political statement which would be taken away if forced to vote.
While i don't like most things that are compulsory, the benefit to compulsory voting as i see it is that it prevents the influence of the few who participate in the election results becoming too strong and gives better representation to certain areas. Also according to stats that i've read, a high turnout reduces the financial expenditure for election campaigns. Our election campaigns are also very short.
The downside is that some consider being forced to vote a violation of personal freedoms. Some people also see not voting as a political statement which would be taken away if forced to vote.
SW-User
@SW-User That's true, although i think the stats show that the percentage of invalid votes is actually quite small. Although i like that everyone is encouraged to vote, i don't like that people actually have to be forced to under the threat of being fined. We seem to get fined for everything here 🙄
SW-User
@SW-User Omg i wish i could say i've only ever had one. It's insane. You know right at this moment i'm fighting an alleged parking fine of $148 from a city council located over 1000km's away, and i've never been anywhere near that city. They're threatening me with court action and i'm having to prove i was a thousand km's away on the day. It's crazy.
SW-User
@SW-User Well i'm going to do that if they persist with it. I really dislike that they are allowed to sell debts to debt collection agencies. This should be illegal as the agencies have none of the facts to do with the original fine yet can just hound anyone without the facts.