1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Should voting in elections be mandatory?

Discussion in 'Other Discussions' started by Crabtownboy, Oct 27, 2014.

  1. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2008
    Messages:
    18,441
    Likes Received:
    259
    Faith:
    Baptist
    A young women in our church was absent from worship this past Sunday. When we ask where she was her husband said, "She is at the Brazilian embassy voting in the election."

    She is Brazilian he is a native born US citizen. In Brazil if you are a citizen is is required that you vote in every election, even if you are an expat living in another country. I do not know what the punishment is for failing to vote and I do not know how the details are worked out, what kind of ID is required, if any, how the Brazilian government maintains a list of citizens.

    So, do you also feel that voting should be mandatory and a fine levied on anyone not voting?
     
  2. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2001
    Messages:
    22,016
    Likes Received:
    487
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Low voter turnout on the democrat side is expected to be a big factor in the upcoming whuppin'.


    No. We should not punish citizens for not voting.
     
  3. Sapper Woody

    Sapper Woody Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2011
    Messages:
    2,314
    Likes Received:
    175
    No. It is a privilege to vote. Not a right, and should not be made mandatory. (Before someone jumps all over me, no it is not a right. Prisoners lose the privilege of voting.)

    I believe that in most cases it is irresponsible to not vote. Especially if one is going to complain about the government. But mandatory would be a huge overstepping of government.
     
  4. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2003
    Messages:
    38,982
    Likes Received:
    2,615
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Being required to vote: NO!

    I do not want uninformed citizens voting.

    And while I am at it- I do not like easy party voting.

    It may have changed, but when I lived in WV - but to vote a full party ticket, you only had to make one mark - bad ideal - each candidate should be voted on.
     
  5. gigabyte71

    gigabyte71 Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2014
    Messages:
    249
    Likes Received:
    0
    I don't think you understand what a right is. According to your logic, neither is the 2nd amendment a right. Being in prisoned simply keeps you from exercising your rights. Privileges can be taking at will, a right can't be.

    Every person has a right to voice their choice of a leader, even if you don't get the one you want. But if it is forced, then the government has over steeped their bounds. Their soul duty is to protect my rights, period.
     
  6. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2006
    Messages:
    52,013
    Likes Received:
    3,649
    Faith:
    Baptist
    According to "Bush V. Gore" voting is not a right. However, the same SC said that owning a gun is. In other words voting is not a consitutionally protected right.
     
  7. InTheLight

    InTheLight Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2010
    Messages:
    24,988
    Likes Received:
    2,268
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Not this again. Read the19th amendment please.

    "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."
     
  8. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2006
    Messages:
    52,013
    Likes Received:
    3,649
    Faith:
    Baptist
    ................................
     
    #8 Revmitchell, Oct 27, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 27, 2014
  9. SolaSaint

    SolaSaint Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2009
    Messages:
    2,834
    Likes Received:
    29
    I don't feel it should be mandatory to vote but I do feel voters need to pass a literacy test or some kind of common sense test. My Dad (Democrat) would take my Mother to vote and have her mark it how he wanted the vote to go. She has Alzheimer's and had no idea what she was doing. This is wrong but it happened every election for several years. I'm sure the Dem's would be proud of my Dad.

    Dem's would probably load up buses full of incompetent voters and drive them to the poles.
     
  10. ktn4eg

    ktn4eg New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2004
    Messages:
    3,517
    Likes Received:
    4
    I don't believe a person ought to be required to vote.

    I do believe a person should vote, but to make it mandatory for him to do so doesn't make much sense to me.

    How would such a mandatory law be enforced? Are there going to be policemen at every polling place to check on who votes? Will the Post Office have to check off each mail-in ballot? How would you check on folks who use the "early voting" method? Suppose you intended to vote on election day but got sick and couldn't go to your polling place?

    Would such a mandatory law apply to primary elections as well? What about run-off elections?

    To me, this type of mandatory voting law would just add more governmental bureaucracy and regulations.

    I certainly believe every eligible citizen ought to know what each candidate stands for and pray for God's guidance when he/she votes, but to require everyone to vote in every election doesn't make much sense to me.
     
  11. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2003
    Messages:
    38,982
    Likes Received:
    2,615
    Faith:
    Baptist
    That's correct - but voting can be denied for other reasons, such as age.
     
  12. gigabyte71

    gigabyte71 Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2014
    Messages:
    249
    Likes Received:
    0
    Yea, you are quoting a real genius there. I can't believe you would quote any government official on what is Constitutional. Do you believe that the 2nd is about hunting? Because there are a whole bunch of people, left and right, who believe that is what it is about.
     
  13. gigabyte71

    gigabyte71 Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2014
    Messages:
    249
    Likes Received:
    0
    Just because the government denies a person their right to exercise a right, doesn't make it any less a right.
     
  14. InTheLight

    InTheLight Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2010
    Messages:
    24,988
    Likes Received:
    2,268
    Faith:
    Baptist
    You beat me to it. Usually rock-ribbed conservatives have disdain for Supreme Court decisions that alter the clear reading of the constitution. But I guess when the decision upholds a crazy idea of your own, you embrace it.
     
  15. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2003
    Messages:
    38,982
    Likes Received:
    2,615
    Faith:
    Baptist
    If the Constitution does not give someone a right - than it is not a right - ie age.
     
  16. gigabyte71

    gigabyte71 Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2014
    Messages:
    249
    Likes Received:
    0
    That isn't true. The Constitution does NOT grant rights. The government does NOT grant rights. Try reading the 9th amendment.

    "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people"
    9th Amendment to the Constitution of these United States
     
  17. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2003
    Messages:
    38,982
    Likes Received:
    2,615
    Faith:
    Baptist
    :BangHead: :BangHead: :BangHead:
     
  18. gigabyte71

    gigabyte71 Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2014
    Messages:
    249
    Likes Received:
    0
    Not sure why you are beating your head against a wall, is it in an effort that you might understand what constitutes a right?
     
  19. Melanie

    Melanie Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2002
    Messages:
    2,784
    Likes Received:
    7
    I was surprised about this....as an Aussie, it is MANDATORY to vote! If you don't you get fined, if you cannot provide a good reason. I vote in New Zealand where it is not mandatory, as I feel as a citizen, you should do so, as the country makes few demands upon me, if you do not exercise this priveledge , it may slip away in time.
     
  20. SaggyWoman

    SaggyWoman Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2000
    Messages:
    17,933
    Likes Received:
    10
    Nope. I don't think we should.
     
Loading...