...Dior Hunter Bailey-Hofmann English 103 17 January 2015 Should Voting Be Mandatory? In the United States, voter turnout during elections has decreased over the last fifteen years. In 2012 the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) compared voter turnout rates, for the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, The BPC states “Despite an increase of over eight million citizens in the eligible population, turnout declined from 131 million voters in 2008 to an estimated 126 million voters in 2012 when all ballots are tallied. Some 93 million eligible citizens did not vote.” Many Americans feel like their vote doesn’t count anyway, mainly citizens who are already disadvantaged. Australian professor of Politics Lisa Hill states in her article What We’ve Seen in Australia With Mandatory Voting that, “Places with mandatory voting also have less wealth inequality, lower levels of political corruption and higher levels of satisfaction with the way democracy is working than voluntary systems.” Critics say that implementing mandatory voting is against the constitution, and what we value the most, freedom. Furthermore, Hill states “ Is being required to vote a violation of autonomy? Sure, but so is mandatory taxation, jury duty and the requirement to educate our children. Yet, these are all good ideas.” Voting should be mandatory because as American citizens we live in a democratic society where everyone should have an opinion. Although, Americans value independence and the free-will to do...
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...American people opposing one another. This entire issue could have been avoided by one key factor, mandatory voting. If mandatory voting was instated the entire country would come together to make decisions instead of just one small percentage. The main argument of every angry voter out, there is that not everyone voted so the actual candidate that should have been elected. FairVote.org states that with mandatory voting, compulsory voting won't be able to politically polarization the United States. Lower turnout, it is argued, enables more hard-core partisans and ideologues to dominate elections....
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...Matt Hamilton American Government PS1350 August 10, 2015 Mr. R. S. MCCULOUGH “American Voters” In the United States the voter turnout during elections has decreased over the last fifteen years. In 2012 the Bipartisan Policy Center compared voter turnout rates for the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, The BPC said “Despite an increase of over 8 million citizens in the eligible population, turnout declined from 131 million voters in 2008 to an estimated 126 million voters in 2012 when all ballots are tallied. Some 93 million eligible citizens did not vote.” Many Americans feel like their vote doesn’t count anyway, mainly citizens who are already disadvantaged. Australian professor of Politics Lisa Hill states in her article What We’ve Seen in Australia With Mandatory Voting that, “Places with mandatory voting also have less wealth inequality, lower levels of political corruption and higher levels of satisfaction with the way democracy is working than voluntary systems.” Critics say that implementing mandatory voting is against the constitution, and what we value the most, freedom. Furthermore, Hill states “ Is being required to vote a violation of autonomy? Sure, but so is mandatory taxation, jury duty and the requirement to educate our children. Yet these are all good ideas. Voting should be mandatory because as American citizens we live in a democratic society where everyone should have an opinion. Although, Americans value independence and the free-will to do whatever...
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...The Case for Mandatory Voting in Canada by Senator Mac Harb The decline in voter turnout over the last several elections is of great concern to everyone interested in politics and parliamentary government. Many ideas have been put forth about how to address this problem including a recent Bill that would provide for a system of compulsory voting similar to that used in several other countries. The following article is based on the speech at second reading by the sponsor of Bill S-22. O ur democracy depends upon the active participation of its citizens, and, while voting is o n l y o n e e l e me n t o f p o l i ti c a l engagement, it remains the very foundation of our democracy. Reinforcing this foundation is the goal of Bill S-22, which will establish mandatory voting in Canada. This legislation is a direct response to a rising electoral crisis. Voter turnout has been on the decline in Canada since the 1960s, reaching a record low of just 60.9 per cent in the 2004 election. Other Western democracies are also experiencing the same dramatic drop. Only 55.3 per cent of Americans voted in the 2004 presidential election, and the 2001 British general election recorded a turnout of just 57.6 per cent. Only one in four Canadians under the age of 25 bothered to vote in the last election. Research shows that these young people, as they age, may not re-engage in the system as their parents and grandparents did. Canadian researchers tell us that this generational...
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...New York Times article, ‘What We’ve Seen in Australia with Mandatory Voting,’ it’s made very apparent in the article that America does indeed have a serious voter turnout problem. Is this really as big an issue as some would have you believe? Or is it better that we allow a continued disproportionate level of democratic power remain where it is? Although the implementation of compulsory voting, or mandatory voting, would mean that voter turnout would naturally increase, compulsory voting would neither benefit in our society or my district. This is largely due to the fact that even though my district would have more regulation in place to ensure a ballet is turned in, The majority of my district is uneducated and these would be the people showing up to vote. In Lisa Hill’s article, she compares Australia and the US several times but in truth, there is no comparison to be had. The United States is a world power and has almost 14 times as many people in our country than Australia. So while Ms Hill might be pleased with the way this program works in Australia, could you imagine the turnout here in the United States? More importantly, would the polls be able to handle the influx of voters turning out to take part in their constitutional right to have part in democracy It is a privilege to take part in democracy and have your voice heard through the casting of a vote. Americans do not have a right to possess this voting power nor is it their duty to do so. Our country was founded...
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...The United States has such a low voters turnout because voters are not forced to vote. The countries with a high voter turnout have strictly enforced laws. In American you have to register to vote but in other countries if you are a citizen, you are automatically registered. If the United States changes the voting system a little, it could increase voter’s turnout. Americans need to be more educated and know each candidate’s platforms. Voter’s turnout could increase if voters did not have to work on Election Day. If America followed some of the guidelines other countries use, the United States would have a higher voters turnout. Countries with a high voter turnout are due to the countries strictly enforced voting laws. In some countries you can be fined if you do not show up to the polls to vote. America does not have strict voting laws so it is not mandatory to show up and vote. In other countries if you are a citizen of the country you are automatically considered a registered voter. The United States is one of the only countries to hold Election Day during the week. Countries with high voters turnout have Election Day on the weekend. Voters in America do not want to...
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...It is no secret that America has a voting problem. According to Pew Research, only 55.7% of voting-aged citizens cast votes in the 2016 election. Voting turnout in the United States has been on the decline since the 1960s and mobilization efforts have been in place since the 1990s, yet turnout still persists as a problem. The most appropriate way to combat this problem is simple; make voting mandatory. The definition of a democracy is a system of government by the whole population, typically through elected officials. How can we be considered a democracy then if the whole population is not being involved in the election process? The other glaring problem is that the failure to vote is highly concentrated among certain groups, namely, the poor, the unemployed, the young, new citizens, and the homeless. Without their vote in the elections, the whole opinion of the public is not complete....
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...Argumentative Essay Should all citizens be required by law to vote in Australia? All citizens should be compelled by law to vote in Australia. In Australia today it is mandatory to be on the electoral roll and to vote at federal and state elections for all citizens over eighteen years of age. However, it has not always been the case. At the beginning of the 20th century most men and women were eligible to vote except for indigenous people who were excluded. Following poor voter turnout in a previous election, compulsory voting was introduced in 1924. In 1962 Indigenous people gained the right to vote and it was made compulsory for them in 1984. In 1973 the voting age was changed from twenty-one to eighteen (Skwirk , 2014). The following discussion will argue that the benefits of compulsory voting far outweigh the disadvantages. In our society we have certain obligations like paying taxes, compulsory education and jury duty. Compulsory voting is just another civic duty much less onerous than any of the above. Australia is one of only eleven countries to enforce participation in elections. A 94% voter turnout for the last federal election compared favourably to 65% in the 2010 United Kingdom election and 57% in the 2012 United States presidential election (Padmanabhan, 2015). The argument that compulsory voting is incompatible with democratic government obviously does not apply to Australia that is considered one of the most transparent, representative and least corrupt nations...
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...right power of self-determination attributed to the will; the quality of being independent of fate or necessity. As citizens of the United States, we have fought several wars to complete our unique experience of practicing democracy; the mission of our Founding Fathers. Immigrants still risk their lives by scaling fences, swimming brisk waterways, and leaving their families to participate in this ambiguous concept called “freedom”. In order to protect freedom, someone has to pay the toll; subsequently it is the soldiers that often pick up the checks. I believe all men should support the military by serving two years (minimum) as a rite of passage, career exploration, and for the privilege of voting. Presently, we need soldiers all over the world, thus the need for manpower is uninterrupted. In fact, a show of numbers is an important strategy in deterring global conflict. Many cultures practice a metaphysical ceremony to acknowledge a conversion into adulthood. For example, the Spartans had what they called Helot Killing. In the Spartan society, all males had to go through fighter training. Spartan boys were ripped from their mothers at the age of seven, and attended warrior training until they were seventeen. When they turned eighteen, they would be sent off into the wilderness with knives, and had the mission of assassinating state-owned slaves (called helots). If they returned, they were men. If not they were not fit to live in a civilized society, and those...
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...right to vote in our government. Prisoners should be allowed to vote because they still are citizens and still have rights. Prisoners should be able to vote and influence the outcome of an election . If all the prisoners were allowed to vote it may have an impact on the election. Prisoners want the chance to vote. As of February 2011 the United States was in the lead of number of prisoners with 2,019,234. Prisoners do not have a say in the government. In New York people who are on parole cannot vote. As of 2004 thirty-five states forbid people who have just been released from prison to vote. In the constitution it states everyone is given the right to vote. Amendment 15 is the voting rights act. In the first section of this amendment, it states the right to vote cannot be taken away from people based on their color, race, or what has happened previously in their life. That amendment is not being applied to the rights of prisoners. Only two states, Vermont and Maine, let everyone vote without ever stripping away rights (Robin Coe, Prisoners Voting Rights ehow.com). In Vermont the voting laws are you have to be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Vermont, has taken voters oath, and 18 years or older to vote, this means that prisoners can...
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...United States Prison System: The War on Drugs The United States of America is no longer the home of the free. It is the home of the locked up and caged. How can this nation embrace the concept of freedom when over 2.4 million of its citizens are locked up in prison? How can Americans have the nerve to utter the words, “racial equality” when over 10% of all African-American men is incarcerated? How can we take pride in a nation that locks up its citizens that suffer from the disease of addiction? This should be an embarrassment to all Americans. The criminal justice system must be reformed and surrender the “War on Drugs.” According to the June 2008 Bureau of Justice Summary, Americans make up only four and a half percent of the world’s population yet boasts twenty-two percent of the world’s incarcerated population. According to the same report, the American Criminal Justice System imprisons six times more of its population than other free nations such as Canada, Australia, Germany, Spain, and Italy. America incarcerates ten times more of its population than Japan, France, and Finland. We have the highest rate of incarceration in the world, much higher than China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, and North Korea whom we consider fascias police states. The 2009 statistics reported in the Prison Index showed that one third of African-American men will serve time in prison at some point in their life. The Bureau of Justice statistics reported, “The number of inmates in...
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...The unemployment rate in the United States as of January 2012 stands at 9 percent. When sifting through the classifieds most jobs require a degree in that field of work but most importantly, most companies prefer to hire someone with prior experience in that field. The notion is that more experience one has, the less time they will have to train that employee to be proficient. Imagine if “experience preferred” was not only for regular jobs but applied to elected officials having served in the armed forces as a prerequisite to becoming elected. The United States Constitution says the President of the United States is the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Army, Navy, and Air Force. Our current 44th President, Barack Obama has not served in the Armed Forces. When asked why he didn’t serve he stated, “The Vietnam War had come to an end. We weren’t engaged in an active military conflict. It’s not an option that I ever decided to pursue.” (Harnden, 2008) Less than one percent of the U.S. population serves in the Armed Forces. In fact, only 24 of our 44 presidents served in the military. For the rest, the Commander-in-Chief title is their only association with the military. Our leaders should have experience in being in the military. Not only do they gain insight and valuable experience by rising through the ranks they attain core values such as Leadership, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. However, critics argue that to be successful...
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...University of Phoenix Material Government Comparisons Matrix Based on the readings from State and Local Government, review and summarize how each issue is managed at the state and local levels. Write 50 to 70 words for each response. |State |Local |Federal |How these entities | | | | |cooperate | |General |When it comes to general |Obviously, the local form|The federal government |These entities cooperate in| |Responsibilities |responsibilities, there |of government has an |has control over both the|that they set plans and | | |is not much difference |utmost responsibility to |state and local |itineraries for how they | | |between these forms of |the citizens. All money |governments when it comes|will attack the general | | |government, except the |that is spent is used for|to general |responsibilities within | | |size of the area that is |the best interest of all |responsibilities. When |each state and in the | | |covered. The state |citizens. Being local, |state or local government|United States as a whole. | | |government is responsible|it is the smallest form |are committing an act |They work...
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...voters usually are tasked to do to appoint judges to the courts in their states. However, Virginia and South Carolina are the only remaining states that use Legislative election as the way of selecting judges. Legislative election is where the judges are elected to the position by peer vote, not from residents of the state. In Virginia, this includes the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the Circuit court, and the District Court of Virginia. Virginia’s courts are the court of limited jurisdiction meaning that they handle cases that derive from power from issuing authority, such as the Constitution or state law. The selection process as mentioned previous is done by legislative election where peers of the judges are deciding who is going to be appointed. As outlined in Article VI in the Virginia Constitution, judges are elected by a majority vote of the general assembly which is combined of the House of Delegates and the senate (judicialselection.us). To serve as a judge in the state of Virginia there are a few qualifications that must be met prior to becoming eligible for selection. Firstly, for selection as chief justice or chief judge, the potential judge must be a legal resident of the Virginia otherwise they will not be considered for a position as judge in the courts. Secondly, the nominee must be a state bar member for at least 5 years and not be older than seventy years of age. Retirement is also mandatory for a sitting judge who turns seventy years of age while in office...
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...The United States is known for having lower voter turnout than other countries. The struggle has caused the need for change. What is the importance of voters, you may ask? The importance of voters is better public welfare and the political voice of the government. It will be reflected in better electoral elections and a better sense of community for the nation. The need for a better nation is the foundation of America, so it's important we uphold it for the people. To tackle higher voter turnout, a plan needs to be made. It will need to address education, accessibility, community, and motivation. One viable solution is to introduce compulsory voting to increase voter participation rates. Compulsory voting has had a positive impact on other...
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