Australian Politics

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Should Australia lower the voting age to 16 like the UK? We asked 5 experts (theconversation.com)

submitted 11 months ago by MHLoppy@fedia.io to c/australianpolitics@aussie.zone

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The UK wants to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in the next general election in 2029. 5 experts give their verdicts on if Australia should do the same.

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[–] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 0 points 11 months ago (3 children)

Compulsory voting (along with preferential voting, a proportional senate and a permanent, nonpartisan electoral commission) is one of the success stories of Australian democracy. (Making showing up to vote — or formally lodging a reasonable excuse — compulsory makes declining to vote a deliberate act, and prevents anyone from winning merely by riling up a base of hardliners and counting on apathy on the other side, as happens often in the US.) Ditching it would be a retrograde step for Australian democracy.

[–] princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 0 points 11 months ago

compulsory makes declining to vote a deliberate act

As I've said before to many people, the only compulsory action required of you is to show up, get your name ticked off the electoral roll and put your ballots in the boxes.

[–] Zagorath@aussie.zone 0 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Ditching it would be a retrograde step for Australian democracy.

I don't think anybody is suggesting ditching it. Just not implementing it for 16 and 17 year-olds.

[–] njm1314@lemmy.world 0 points 11 months ago

That seems like a dangerous first step to ditching it though.

[–] womjunru@lemmy.cafe 0 points 11 months ago

US here, I’d love compulsory voting… and preferential voting.