Quote: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.  

Let's be honest nobody loses when the Predator is involved. 

 

Seriously though, you are right voter apathy is a huge problem. My girlfriend doesn't give a lick about politics and that's fine but I know plenty of people that complain constantly about the right or the left but don't vote because "it doesn't matter"

 

I think just having the day off paid would give people a more personal interest in politics and the voting process in general. It would not effect everyone that way but it would give people who do care a much easier time voting.

 

Or again, just do mail in votes. It's stupidly simply but does not come with a day off

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