Are you registered to vote?
 

We have so many strong opinions here, and so many people who are into politics, that I started to wonder how many back this up by voting.

So, we're all over 18, how many of us are registered to vote? If you're not, what's the reason? If the minimum age in your country isn't 18, and therefore you aren't eligible yet, educate me.

Now that you're registered, do you actually go out and do it? If you don't vote, your opinions and voice will not be heard.

Here in the US, we have two months left before the next round of elections. Get your registration in before it's too late and let your voice be heard.

Not eligible :(. That's one less straight ticket democrat vote.

To clarify, does "always vote" mean you vote in all national, statewide, and local elections?

Compulsory over here, but I'd do it always even if it was optional.

I've volunteered at voting booths, handing out flyers and scrutinizing ballots. Occasionally even some door to door campaigning.

i vote always pretty much

its one of those things i can't believe the country is like - people take democracy for granted

i was in taiwan when they held their last elections and they had like 90% turnout or something, now thats crazy

but honestly tho, i wish the entire public would always vote, acutally create a clearer image

Yes, and I always vote. I find the lack of voter turnout in the U.S. beyond appalling. Given the overwhelming response of actual voters in this thread, I will not soapbox except to say that if you don't vote, then you relinquish all right to bitch and complain about the government and any state of affairs that we may be in. In other words just stfu. I'm done now.

I registered as a permanent absentee in Washington State while I am living in Asia. They automatically send me every ballot that I am eleigible to vote, so I dutifully make the lines and send it back. Every time.

They make it pretty easy to vote with absentee ballots and mail in ballots where I'm at, so there really isn't an excuse not to. It is stunning to see voter turn out of 25-30 percent.

I have zero respect for anybody who votes straight ticket.

Since I was 18. The first time I voted was in a presidential election. It's my right, and every time there's something to vote on, I'm there. I also hate the people that are registered to vote, that do not, but still want to talk politics... I kindly remind them they did not voice their opion, so I don't want to hear it either.

since 18, every primary, every general.

Yes and always - except some primaries.

The results so far were what I expected to see under TFP Politics. I wonder what the results would be under TFP General discussion.

I vote in all the elections that involve a national office (President, House, Senate) and state governor. If those include elections other things (local or county government), I vote in those categories also. I don't vote in primaries or smaller elections (school board, etc) if they are the only offices on the ballot.

That is the best idea to come out of Australia ever. Voting should be compulsory here, too. Like jury duty.

Although I voted, I thought it was pretty shitty of the legislature to schedule the vote on over twenty amendments to the Texas Constitution for last Saturday, Sept. 12 intead of having the ballot as a part of the election in November, when many more people would go to the polls to vote in local elections, including mayoral races in large cities, in a blatant attempt to have only those that really care about the individual issues to vote, thus ensuring that all the amendments, which were given a description on the ballot by the sponsors of each amendment, passed. Our state constitution has been amended over 200 times, and it's things like this that led to that. The whole process was a travesty of justice.

Hmmm...excellent point. Those that tend to migate here...yeah. So the results are certain to be scewed. Kinda like Gallup calling people at home at 2:00 in the afternoon and asking what they think of Medicare. All they're gonna talk to are retirees.

I am registered to vote. I do my best to vote in every election (federal, state, local). I feel that it's my responsibility as a citizen.


How do they enforce compulsory voting?

Voting being first made compulsory in 1924, they use all the usual means to get you to vote; small fines, annoying letters, y'know...the kind of thing bureaucrats are good at. Approximately the same level of inconvenience as parking fines or jury duty.

People first register to vote at 18 and are put on the electoral roll. If you're away from home on voting day, casting an absentee ballot anywhere else in the country is usually incredibly easy.

Compulsory voting is seen as pretty damn ordinary if its already been part of your political system for years. Unfortunately, in contemporary politics it would be seen to destabilize the 'status quo' too much for the entrenched party powers to ever consider implementing it. And vice versa. A hard sell.

Here's more info:
http://www.aec.gov.au

I don't believe in voting for the sake of voting. I think that is far worse than not voting at all. In this case we might as well just flip a coin ! I also don't feel most people take the time to actually learn all of the issues and all of the personality characteristics of the candidates.... in which case they are really voting blind.....

Registered and vote republician, unless I disagree with that particular republician canidate (John McCain for example).

I said "always", but I've missed a couple of local primaries where I really didn't have the information to make a choice.