There is no such thing as mandatory voting in Australia. What's mandatory is attendance at a polling place and having your name recorded as having attended. What you then do with your ballot paper(s) is of no interest to the authorities, so you can very easily choose not to vote by simply not filling in your ballot paper(s).
There is no such thing as mandatory voting in Australia. What's mandatory is attendance at a polling place and having your name recorded as having attended. What you then do with your ballot paper(s) is of no interest to the authorities, so you can very easily choose not to vote by simply not filling in your ballot paper(s).
So what's the part that isn't mandatory? You are required to cast a vote, informal or otherwise, somewhere and some place. Instead of staying home, I am compelled by law to visit a polling place on election day (or before). Jess' argument still stands - we should have the right to abstain from the process entirely.
You are required by law to attend a polling place (or apply for a ballot paper by post) and place your ballot paper in the box. If you leave it blank or defaced in a way that electoral commission staff cannot determine your voting preference, then you are not voting so you have not been mandated to vote but to attend and put your ballot paper in the box. That's all you're required to do.
The article called for an end to mandatory voting when voting is not mandatory. If you're too lazy or insufficiently motivated to attend a polling booth, apply for a postal vote.
There is no such thing as mandatory voting in Australia. What's mandatory is attendance at a polling place and having your name recorded as having attended. What you then do with your ballot paper(s) is of no interest to the authorities, so you can very easily choose not to vote by simply not filling in your ballot paper(s).
So what's the part that isn't mandatory? You are required to cast a vote, informal or otherwise, somewhere and some place. Instead of staying home, I am compelled by law to visit a polling place on election day (or before). Jess' argument still stands - we should have the right to abstain from the process entirely.
You are required by law to attend a polling place (or apply for a ballot paper by post) and place your ballot paper in the box. If you leave it blank or defaced in a way that electoral commission staff cannot determine your voting preference, then you are not voting so you have not been mandated to vote but to attend and put your ballot paper in the box. That's all you're required to do.
Like I said, you are still compelled to do something, as opposed to nothing.
The article called for an end to mandatory voting when voting is not mandatory. If you're too lazy or insufficiently motivated to attend a polling booth, apply for a postal vote.
I feel you are deliberately missing my point, Bernie.