I just heard a brief Sunday morning discussion Radio National about what constitutes Right and Left in Australian politics. During which there was an almost throw away comment about Compulsory Voting by the Right commentator. Normally, I would dismiss any suggestion of getting rid of Compulsory Voting as an effort by the Right to reduce the Power of the People.
But, there was something said that triggered me to think again.
Compulsory Voting gives the power to the uninterested, not politically engaged Centre, the swinging voters. People who can't be bothered to engage in understanding the issues, who just vote on the basis of 3 word slogans and 10 second sound bites.
Whereas, if we don't have compulsory voting, parties have to do more to engage their supporters to bring out the vote, have to focus more on what their voter base wants, not the disinterested Centre voter.
If that brings about a more real choice between a socialist left and a rabid right wing, we can have governments that lurch from left to right as they change. And we might suffer even more right wing results every so often.
But what do we get at the moment? A choice between a mild right wing party and a more right wing party, bother of whom pander to the Murdochs, Ginas and Palmers of this world.
If we didn't have compulsory voting, and more of the less interested, uninterested, self interested, not engaged "Centre" voters just didn't bother going to the polling booths, which voting block would be reduced the most ?
Sure, the Right would have still have more of the media coverage, and no doubt would try to whip up enough interest in swinging voters to vote for them. But surely to less effect than usual.
Would the People Power of the Left be better able to Get the Vote out more effectively, be more committed to grass roots campaigning, really engaging with the whole people power idea, helping people better understand the impact of the options. And a Left having policies and platforms which actually serve the interests of those who can be bothered to vote.
It would be very risky to accept the removal of Compulsory Voting without researching what the expected impact might be. So is any research being done?
I'm just saying I have more of an open mind about this than I did previously. How about you ?
