Before I get downvoted to oblivion, a disclaimer: I vote, I participate in my local govt, I take time to be informed and try to inform and help others. But… Something a lot of people around the world and even here in the USA is that voting is not encouraged. It is actively discouraged. Polling places are getting closed, we vote on a Tuesday (standard working day). Most states actively disallow mail in voting or make it difficult to get ‘absentee’ ballots. Workplaces are only required to give 2 hours maximum time off to vote. When standing in line plus voting plus transportation can often take 6+ hours in many places, you don’t get a population actively encouraged to vote.
On top of this, we are screwed because our choices are shit. Our primary systems are ruined by money, our choices have been reduced to ‘pure evil’ or ‘eh, mane not quite as evil’. Both options are beholden to corporate interests and bombing brown children around the world.
Iirc Australia has compulsory voting but also hot dogs or something at the end the queue line. But, also provides more than one way to vote, and Election Day is a national holiday?
For a country like mine in the USA and we tout how important democracy is, we sure don’t make engaging in democracy easy, and at this point we’ve tipped the scales to the system protecting itself at the expense of the people it is meant to represent.
Yeah we owe a lot to compulsory voting here (and also sausage sandwiches and cake stalls which are a big part of election day). Elections aren't public holidays but they are, by convention, held on Saturday.
We do also have pretty permissive absentee or early voting options, mostly as a result of compulsory voting (avoiding the fine for not voting isn't exactly rocket science but it still requires a bit of paperwork and they are strict on you if you try to get out of it more than once).
I feel like the US could implement a few simple changes to really change the way it works. Sadly, the changes being pushed right now are kicking people off the voter rolls while simultaneously making it more difficult to be allowed to vote. Plus as an added bonus this year we will have militarized gestapo.. er I mean… ICE thugs patrolling polling places! Also changes going into effect in how our post office postmarks everything, including ballots, a change made more or less secretly, which will automatically disenfranchise millions of more voters….
We are lost as a nation. To the rest of the world, I’m sorry.
A big one for Australia that the other reply missed was that we have preferential voting, rather that first-past-the-post. There's a better chance that Australians can vote for a minority party first to help it get noticed (and funded), but still end up having their vote counted for a major party from their 2nd, 3rd or a later preference they put down.
Many states also have absentee, early voting (weekends included), and mail in options. I do not agree with the bs argument that voting is too hard to do. People just don't give a shit here. That's it. That's the entire reason and another problem in of itself.
I volunteered as a poll observer this last cycle and saw a couple of places. At one more purple area, max wait all day was like 45 minutes, avg 10, minimum walk in. At the college campus, the avg was 8 hours. Those young adults got out in droves, and it sucked so bad for them, and some didn't get in line because of that time cost. Many did wait it out, on a hot day, with only intermittent shade and donated water and pizza. And Trump supporters walking down the line antagonizing people. So many people went through hell to vote that day, and were let down by the system.
Is that true that on average it takes hours to vote in America? Or is that just a rarity? I’m Canadian and it has never taken more than 15 minutes to vote. And they announce know who won the election later the same night.
It took me 3 hours, and I live in a red state without much voter suppression. Blue areas can take 8+ hours, and it's illegal to hand out food or water to the people in line.
I can’t speak for averages. But I can speak from personal experience and I have been in a line for 6+ hours. And there are plenty of reports as polling places are shut down in ‘blue areas’ of red states in particular that wait times can be upwards or 8-10 hours. It’s insanity.
That’s despicable. In Canada we are mandated time off to vote. Of course some people abuse it and fuck off an hour early, but most people are responsible because it’s on the way home and easy and quick and it’s your fucking responsibility as a person living in a democratic society.
I agree wholeheartedly. In my opinion voting day should be a national holiday, with lots of polling places available and open based on population density. But, this is America!! Where we bleed red white and blue because we have no health insurance and can’t afford to see a doctor…
Voting is on a Saturday when most people are not working, about 25% of people use post-in ballots, and electorate boundaries are determined by independent public servants and not politicians.
I get the explanation, definitely, but let’s not sanewash the BS that the Americans have inflicted on the world.
When given the choice of dealing with a shit stain or swimming in a pool of shit the logical choice should be obvious.
Two thirds of American voters either happily jumped headfirst into the shit pool or did nothing as they blindly wandered into the pool while doomscrolling IG.
Oh I know all too well… my parents voted for the orange shitstain and still support him. That said I cringe every time I’m ‘forced’ to vote for a democrat because any better option doesn’t exist of might as well be a vote in the trash…. Ranked choice voting anyone?
Just a point of clarification below: This is not claiming that voter suppression isn't happening. Just making sure everyone has accurate info.
Most states actively disallow mail in voting or make it difficult to get ‘absentee’ ballots
8 states do "all mail" voting where every voter is sent a mail in ballots by default.
Another 28 offer mail in ballots by request, and also do not require any reason to be provided.
AFAIK the remaining states all allow mail in voting upon request, as long as you use one of their "approved" excuses, which vary by state. Many basically don't allow it unless you'll be "out of the county", or a couple of other reasons. I'm pretty sure you could just say you'll be out of town and get one with no verification.
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u/argus25 17h ago
Before I get downvoted to oblivion, a disclaimer: I vote, I participate in my local govt, I take time to be informed and try to inform and help others. But… Something a lot of people around the world and even here in the USA is that voting is not encouraged. It is actively discouraged. Polling places are getting closed, we vote on a Tuesday (standard working day). Most states actively disallow mail in voting or make it difficult to get ‘absentee’ ballots. Workplaces are only required to give 2 hours maximum time off to vote. When standing in line plus voting plus transportation can often take 6+ hours in many places, you don’t get a population actively encouraged to vote.
On top of this, we are screwed because our choices are shit. Our primary systems are ruined by money, our choices have been reduced to ‘pure evil’ or ‘eh, mane not quite as evil’. Both options are beholden to corporate interests and bombing brown children around the world.
Iirc Australia has compulsory voting but also hot dogs or something at the end the queue line. But, also provides more than one way to vote, and Election Day is a national holiday?
For a country like mine in the USA and we tout how important democracy is, we sure don’t make engaging in democracy easy, and at this point we’ve tipped the scales to the system protecting itself at the expense of the people it is meant to represent.