Should the US mandate voting in federal elections?

. To vote or not to vote is a personal choice and should not be mandated.
What needs be done is to mandate a civics course for all students stressing the importance of each individuals vote. Make it a war for civic responsibility. Posters in every classroom in America stressing it's importance.

I think the concept is ludicrous (as I did when it came up before)

Thinking it was offered as humor.

If you don't care enough to get registered, get informed and get to the polls, you have no right to complain about the current political leadership.

Mandatory voting is in the Saddam realm.

I don't think it should be mandatory, since that removes the very idea of a free election.

But what should be mandatory is the re-introduction of civics classes in schools. Most people don't seem to have any idea of what our government is composed of, or why, or how, or what the government is, what the states are, what their roles are.

So I suspect that many of them don't see the importance of voting. A lot is said about the apathy of the voter, but in my experience (as a democratic committeewoman for years, election worker, poll taker) most voters don't have a clue. And many do not realize the importance of a vote. So all this should be learned at an early age, right along with reading, and math.

In complete agreement with mamajuana.

Well, I'm against it.

But when I have a look at the 70% or even less going to the polls here ... .

I thought, there are civic classes in all US-states?!?
(It differs here in Germany from state to state - some have it as own course, others do it in politics, sociology,... . However, it is done - many counties/cities/towns have a "children-" and/or "youth parliament" as well. [A nephew is in the Federal Youth Parliament, in Austria, however.])

Extremely well put, mama.

Hopefully I won't sound to elitist when I say, there are those amongst the vox populi who's opinion can not be comprehended, let alone, be heard.

Even back in the days when civics courses were a requirement and the voter turnout was higher, I felt that those who for whatever reason did not feel that they understood the matters at hand should stay away from the poles. I feel the same way today. Of course rather than stay away from the polls, it would be preferable for them to learn about the matters at hand and vote.

If there was the slightest chance that it would make people feel more responsible for what is going on in their community/country, I'd say yes.

Either that, or a light i can shine on someone that will let me know whether or not they voted. Cuz if they didn't vote, i want to be able to tell them to shut up, cuz it's none of their business.

No. Eliminate the standard and special deductions on tax returns (US tax system) and adjust the rates downward so as to be revenue neutral. So doing has every wage earner paying income taxes. That, if nothing else, might give them some interest in what the government is doing.

I agree so long as the fundamentals of how our system of government functions is the focus. I would have grave concerns if it were turned into a tool to indoctrinate children on which way to vote on issues.

I voted yes. Then the non voters who never ever admit they did not vote could not complain endlessly about the results.

Why dilute the votes of a presumably informed and motivated electorate (well, at least informed enough to know there's an election and motivated enough to get off their butts and toddle down to the polls) with those of the ignorant and lazy?

If the ignorant and lazy care enough to register and go to the polls, so be it.

If they are registered by someone else, paid and driven to the polls, I'm tellin'.

And then there's this. We seem to have some elected congress people who did not vote for many years. Why was that?

Lash - the civics classes I remember were apolitical - they dealt with civics as pertaining to makeup and duties of congress, judiciary, etc. I agree with you about not including political leanings in the learning. But then they would be indoctrination classes, which is not civics.

Walter - when I was young, in my state we had this thing called civics class, and it was required to take them. I don't know if every state had this requirement or not.

But a lot of things have changed. Time marches on, the stress is on other things. I happen to feel very strongly about the right to vote. And I agree with Lash - if they care enough to go and register for the vote, then let them have it. I just wish the populous were better informed - I wish on stars, too.

Lash - the civics classes I remember were apolitical - they dealt with civics as pertaining to makeup and duties of congress, judiciary, etc. I agree with you about not including political leanings in the learning. But then they would be indoctrination classes, which is not civics.

mama-- I think you have me confused with trespassers. I knew what you meant by civics class, and agreed completely with your assertion.

cuz then when the ignorant and lazy (who only voted because they had to, not because they paid any attention to what was going on) complain, i can tell them to shut up - they voted, they should have been smarter about it.

(do i love telling people to shut up? well, yes, but i don't actually do it - i just make them wish they hadn't said anything )

Ooops - you're right. That's trespassers, Lash. Sorry.

Deleted by author.

LW--It was a great post, but methinks you should've taken that left turn at Albuquerque....