Remove the right to vote "none of the above" because people may wan...

Jefferey Cave - 2012-08-24 06:17:51-0400 - Updated: 2012-08-24 06:23:29-0400

Remove the right to vote "none of the above" because people may want to use it.

Morely "argued that the Voting Rights Act and other laws are designed to ensure everyone's votes are counted". So he removed the option because people may want it, and need to be protected from themselves.

I have openly stated that I will continue to cast blank ballots (an illegal action) in elections until a "None of the Above" option is given to Canadian voters. It is disappointing to see the option removed from a group of US voters. Now their actions can be brushed off as apathy rather than discontent, the very problem the law was attempting to combat when it was created.

Judge strikes down Nevada's 'none' voting option

Irdial - 2012-08-24 06:33:22-0400

Is there a law in Canada requiring you to vote as there is in Australia?

Jefferey Cave - 2012-08-24 06:35:57-0400 - Updated: 2012-08-24 06:36:41-0400

Not that I'm aware of. I do seem to remember something about that, but I'm not sure. If it does exist, it is ignored, and never followed up on.

Brian Mairs - 2012-08-24 12:06:06-0400

+Irdial Discs No such law in Canada, although mandatory voting has been discussed from time to time in Canada over the last 35 years, but it comes down to a basic argument – control. Can the person just show up at the voting booth, sign-in and leave? If they sign in can you force them to vote? How do you stop them from voting for everybody in order to spoil their ballot? If people do not register, what is the appropriate penalty? If we vote the same way they did in the Soviet CCCP (at gunpoint, with only one person running, and the penalty obvious) a forced vote can work – at least for the person running, but not in a socio-democratic society.
In short: is it not better to have voters who have at least gone through the basic steps to investigate the differences in philosophical platforms in order to make a decision, rather than the concept of forced voters’ being just sheep being led to do a mundane task that they have not thought through?
There are interesting arguments on both sides of the question of mandatory voting and worthy of debate.

Jefferey Cave - 2012-08-24 12:46:45-0400

I do know that it is illegal to spoil your ballot in Canada (not select anybody, select everybody, etc.). It is also illegal for the PTB to know what you put on your ballot, so it is a bit of a moot point. Though my confessing to it does put me in an interesting position.

Brian Mairs - 2012-08-24 13:08:25-0400

+Jeff Cave A spoiled ballot is one that is altered, defaced or destroyed. By leaving it blank, voting for two or more candidates, etc., it is not spoiled, but rejected (not illegal) .

Irdial - 2012-08-24 13:14:21-0400

+Brian Mairs In Australia, they fine you and then prosecute you if you refuse to vote:

http://www.aec.gov.au/faqs/voting_australia.htm#not-vote

The thought of this makes me physically sick to my stomach.

To my thinking there are no 'two sides' of this argument. Its like saying there are two sides to being mugged at gunpoint by a man or a woman.

In Australia, the insult of democracy is double; not only are you compelled to be a part of democracy by compulsory taxation, a State monopoly on justice, policing and fiat currency masquerading as money but you are forced to vote for it all, whereby the State can claim you gave your consent to their insanity.

At least in the Soviet Union there was no pretense of property rights, liberty or individualism, unlike Australia, which sells itself as a 'free country'. The Soviets were honest about what they were doing, the ideas behind their laws and the justification for their violence and collectivism. The western democracies are not so honest, and more violent by orders of magnitude.

Jefferey Cave - 2012-08-24 13:15:50-0400

+Brian Mairs, I'm not convinced of your definition, but am not too worried either way.

Brian Mairs - 2012-08-24 15:44:22-0400

+Jeff Cave The definition comes from Elections Canada. Glad to see you are not worried :-)

Jefferey Cave - 2012-08-24 17:05:42-0400 - Updated: 2012-08-24 17:08:07-0400

I'd expect a judge to throw it out as a waste of his time, but it is illegal, and punishable.

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/E-2.01/

151.1.b + 167.1.b + 489.3.d + 500.5.a

$2000 and/or 1 year for not marking an "X" in the circled box.

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. If I'm wrong, please feel free to explain my mistake.