Quote:Compulsory voting is silly and not a good thing, not because mob rule but because you end up having people vote for clowns or celebs are w/e just because the must vote. I don't think a none of the above is a good option either.

 

A national holiday for voting day on the other hand might be a better idea. Some people do have a problem getting to the polls to vote. Either that or do mail in ballots like Oregon does. Also we just started automatic voter registration tied with getting a driver's license. Easy Peasy.  

 

My wife helps all of her students register to vote if they're going to be 18 before the next election.  (Government is one of the classes she teaches).  I'm not sure if all schools do that though.


A national holiday for voting actually makes sense.  The Federal Government only tends to give 59 minutes so people can go vote.  Other places expect workers to vote during lunch.  


Honestly though the real problem with mandatory voting isn't that we'd get celebrities, or whatever as our presidents.  (That's what we do anyway!)  The real problem with mandatory voting is:  It doesn't solve the problem of voter apathy.  Most people would still get their news from pundits and from Super Pacs.  Money would still be powerful, and maybe even more powerful than it is now.  Voters still wouldn't fact check.  They'd stick to one or two sources, or only agree with the people who share their viewpoint.  


Most elections are Alien vs Predator anyway.  Whoever wins, we lose.  

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