"Give an Afghan your vote", activists urge Britons

[2pints-mate 0]

This country is simply going nuts.

 

( )

 

 

Quote:

LONDON (Reuters) - Activist group, Egality, is inviting British voters to give their right to vote to someone in one of three developing countries which, it says, are "directly affected by UK policies on war, climate and poverty."

 

Britons can register from Monday to donate votes to Afghans, Ghanaians or Bangladeshis and, on the eve of the election -- expected on May 6 -- they will receive a text message telling them who wants to vote for which party.

 

"I've voted in the past but I find that this is a really exciting way for my vote to be important and to count ... Our actions in this country are responsible for so much all over the world," said student Fanny Rhodes-James, 23, who plans to donate her vote.

 

Hundreds of Britons have already committed their votes, Egality says, adding it expects thousands to register.

 

At the last two general elections in 2001 and 2005, national turnout in Britain slumped to around 60 percent, compared to 77 percent in 1992.

 

"When we complain that our political parties are all the same, that voting changes nothing, we're missing the vital perspective of vulnerable people in developing nations -- people whose livelihoods can be destroyed by the stroke of a pen in an anonymous office in Whitehall," Egality said in a statement.

 

Whitehall is shorthand for British government departments.

 

Ghanaian Kwabena Okai Ofosuhene says one of the reasons he wants a vote in the British election is Britain's influence on international financial institutions, such as the World Bank, which are "key to development in Ghana."

 

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Originally Posted By: 2pints,mate

This country is simply going nuts.

( )

Quote:

LONDON (Reuters) - Activist group, Egality, is inviting British voters to give their right to vote to someone in one of three developing countries which, it says, are "directly affected by UK policies on war, climate and poverty."

Britons can register from Monday to donate votes to Afghans, Ghanaians or Bangladeshis and, on the eve of the election -- expected on May 6 -- they will receive a text message telling them who wants to vote for which party.

"I've voted in the past but I find that this is a really exciting way for my vote to be important and to count ... Our actions in this country are responsible for so much all over the world," said student Fanny Rhodes-James, 23, who plans to donate her vote.

Hundreds of Britons have already committed their votes, Egality says, adding it expects thousands to register.

At the last two general elections in 2001 and 2005, national turnout in Britain slumped to around 60 percent, compared to 77 percent in 1992.

"When we complain that our political parties are all the same, that voting changes nothing, we're missing the vital perspective of vulnerable people in developing nations -- people whose livelihoods can be destroyed by the stroke of a pen in an anonymous office in Whitehall," Egality said in a statement.

Whitehall is shorthand for British government departments.

Ghanaian Kwabena Okai Ofosuhene says one of the reasons he wants a vote in the British election is Britain's influence on international financial institutions, such as the World Bank, which are "key to development in Ghana."

2 things....

1/ never trust a person with a double-barrelled name

2/ her name is "Fanny" FFS!!!

[marblehead 0]

I once went out with a Fanny.

[Go Native 70]

You Brits don't have compulsory voting? I wasn't aware of that...

[pie-eater 207]

drag you down there?

 

yes I heard about that on the news. Seems immensely daft.

[pie-eater 207]

I wonder if a Dick has ever been out with a Fanny?

 

That would be one couple!

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Pie-Eater,

 

As someone who has worked almost every State (WA) and Federal Election in the Australia in the past 25 years, and the last two in a very senior capacity - I think Australia would be better off moving to non compulsory voting.

 

I understand the reasons behind compulsory voting, and that the marginalized in our society simply would not attend, and therefore their voices would not be heard, but the incidents of "Ballot Box Rage" are out of control, and having counted votes from all over the state - there are an awful lot of ballot papers left blank, used as post it notes to let us know what the voter thinks of us all, and as art paper to practice drawing penises. If voting was non compulsory it would be rare to find an informal vote.

 

As for donating your vote to an Afghan...WTF!

That is about as dumb as drawing a penis on your ballot paper. No offense to the Afghani people...but this is about an election in Britain, and the citizen of Britain is supposed to work out what THEY think is the correct leadership and vote for that. Following the advice of a text message could be very open to abuse and the rigging of the electoral process.

[grungy-gonads 54]

BTW What exactly do you mean by "compulsory voting"?

[Go Native 70]

In Australia everyone 18 or over is required to vote by law. Fines can be imposed if you don't.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

It is written into Electoral Law in Australia that every person enrolled to vote must cast a vote at each election.

 

An Australian citizen over the age of 18 is eligible and obliged to register to vote.

 

Many people circumvent the legislation by simply avoiding enrollment. And punishment for not voting is a fine. A small one. And it is usually waived if you have a decent excuse.

 

Excuses not deemed acceptable include:

I could not be bothered.

I forgot.

My car broken down on the way.

I thought the poll closed at 8pm not 6pm and was late (HOW MANY times have I heard that one, and 8pm Polling stopped some time in the 80's!)

I was at the pub...and lost track of time.

 

Acceptable excuses include:

I was in hospital.

I was in jail.

I was out of the country in an area that did not have a polling booth for that election.

 

The thing that never ceases to amaze me is the fine is something like $60, not a lot really...and there is pre polling centres all over the place that can take early votes from people unable to vote on the Polling Day (usually a Saturday). Yet people queue up and rant and rave and abuse people employed to simply tick their names off, then submit an informal vote, just so they avoid 'prosecution'.

 

Heck ... if I felt that strongly I would pay the fine and not go!

[Tubby Beaver 209]

I think that its very ironic that in a democracy you are required by law to vote!

[Go Native 70]

It kind of ensures you exercise your democratic right to vote!

It's not a terrible idea as far as I'm concerned. It's usually those that most need representation at a political level who don't end up voting voluntarily. So they often end up becoming even more marginalised in society as a result. Of course you also get a whole lot of people you'd probably prefer didn't get a vote getting their say as well....oh well. Good and bad for both voluntarily and compulsory systems I guess.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

I used to be in favor .... after 25 yrs in the business, I think if they don't care enough to vote let them stay home. Then people get passionate about voting, the process is easier. And likely the person *I* vote for will win, instead of getting beat by the trendy lefties who wouldn't be there if they weren't worried about the 60 buck fine.

 

Did I say that out loud?

[muikabochi 208]

Very interesting, I did not know that.

Problem is, you'll get lots of silly stupid people who know nothing about nothing voting.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

That is right Muika.

 

I have been asked "Who should I vote for" more times than I can count.

 

I am also constantly amazed when someone says something like "I hate the Labor Party, and I want to send a message to the Liberal Party that they are not doing the right thing so I am voting for the Greens." Ummm ..yeah...you do realize that a vote for the Greens is a vote for the Labor Party due to the preferential voting system? SO many people think their vote stops after the first number they write in the box ...nah-ah people... I have had to shake up some very well educated people to realize it is a two horse race and even if they vote for a minor party, they need to put some thought into which of the majors they are selecting and do that actively even if both majors are the last two numbers on the ballot.

[Go Native 70]

I always voted Greens because I truly believe in what they stand for and I'd have preferred a red hot poker in the eye than vote for the Libs or give any preferences their way. One of the big reasons I decided to leave Aus was because of the sort of country it turned into after so many years of conservative rule. But hey I honestly couldn't care less about Aus politics anymore

[pie-eater 207]

Wow I totally did not know that.

I wonder how many other countries have this compulsory voting thing.

[mitchpee 10]

Originally Posted By: Go Native

It kind of ensures you exercise your democratic right to vote!
It's not a terrible idea as far as I'm concerned. It's usually those that most need representation at a political level who don't end up voting voluntarily. So they often end up becoming even more marginalised in society as a result. Of course you also get a whole lot of people you'd probably prefer didn't get a vote getting their say as well....oh well. Good and bad for both voluntarily and compulsory systems I guess.

True, but then again it undermines everything about the democratic political process. Ie, the ones who want to exercise their vote generally put a bit of thought into it. Rather than if you are coerced into voting, you may just make some random selection. While I realize most people don't do this, it still is an issue that could lead to the selection of the wrong candidate.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Originally Posted By: MitchPee

True, but then again it undermines everything about the democratic political process. Ie, the ones who want to exercise their vote generally put a bit of thought into it. Rather than if you are coerced into voting, you may just make some random selection. While I realize most people don't do this, it still is an issue that could lead to the selection of the wrong candidate.

You are correct.

As a general rule the result of an election in a particular electorate is known before polling day, it is the very very few marginal seats who tend to decide the outcome. In those marginal seats it can very definitely make a difference to the outcome of the election if voting was not compulsory.

But the biggest problem I see is the agro at the polling booth. People get really angry that they are forced to vote, and they are abusive, and sometimes physically violent. The area's I tend to work are at the most sterile, but I still experience it. However some of the tough locations require a police presence to protect the workers!

[Go Native 70]

Originally Posted By: MitchPee

True, but then again it undermines everything about the democratic political process. Ie, the ones who want to exercise their vote generally put a bit of thought into it. Rather than if you are coerced into voting, you may just make some random selection. While I realize most people don't do this, it still is an issue that could lead to the selection of the wrong candidate.

I don't agree it undermines the democratic process at all. Democracy is about the population making a choice who leads them. Forcing them to make a choice is in my opinion going to get the most representative vote of the entire populations will, not just the segment of the population who can be bothered turning up on polling day. It's not perfect and I certainly haven't always agreed with who gets in power but I don't think there is a much better way to get a higher percentage of people actively participating in the democratic process.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

I would actually be VERY interested to see what the effect of making voting optional would be.

 

I know passionate Labor voters.

I know passionate Liberal voters.

I know people passionately supporting the Greens, Family First and the Democrats.

 

But that large group of people who are only voting so they don't get fined....where are there votes going?

I wager there will be a LOT less work for people weeding out and recording the informal votes - there is a saving!

 

People seem to get apathetic when it is a compulsory exercise. However when their vote is important and they have a choice whether to vote or not, whether to vocally support their MP or not ... I think passions will increase for many. Once where ho hum existed, passion may emerge. And if it doesn't...well was that person's vote well thought out anyway?

[Go Native 70]

I don't believe the informal votes are that big a problem. And Australia is not that poor they need to worry about saving a few million bucks on the cost of weeding them out. It would certainly be interesting though to see what percentage would turn out in Aus if voting was voluntary. Still regardless of how jaded many are with the political system I still believe for all their bluster most people still put a little effort in once they get into the polling station. Forcing people to participate in the system whether they like it or not is not in my opinion a bad thing.

The fact it can get heated and even require a police presence is not something only experienced in Aus. Plenty of countries that have voluntary voting systems can also require security at polling booths around election times.

 

The main issue for me about voluntary voting is the sections of populace who for whatever reasons don't vote don't really end up getting representation at a political level. These groups become further and further marginalised in society. At least in Aus pretty much all groups have to be counted as potential votes and get represented.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

I am surprised GN.

 

I respect your opinion, but I would have thought that as someone opposed to Nanny State ideals you would oppose compulsory voting.

[Go Native 70]

Possibly a little contradictory I know. I certainly believe in individual rights but I don't think individual rights supercede what is good for society. I have no problem if individuals want to be stupid and get themselves killed through risky endeavours but I have a problem with whole groups in societies being marginalised because of little political representation. I just think compulsory voting is about the best system there is to ensure the views of all groups in society have to be taken into account when forming policies. Not perfect but I don't think voluntary voting is a better choice.

[Jynxx 4]

Compulsory voting is not a right to vote. We do have a right not to vote. It is just a ploy to legit a government, The influence of the people who choose not to vote should be counted and regarded as " This is so shite we don't back you up" "You do not representative our voice hence moot"

I personally would like a government where you can put a vote in direct decisions. Referendum on all issues. That would put the responsibility square on us, too. That, to my mind is democracy.