what if i don't want to vote

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#550281 26-Nov-2011 12:49

While the laws of New Zealand allow the right to vote in a democracy as optional, I think it is a sad reflection on our society that so many choose for what ever reason, not to vote. There are a lot of countries around the world where the citizens have been prepared to sacrifice there life to obtain the right the vote in a democratic society.

gzt

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#550282 26-Nov-2011 12:53

joker97: some will vote for least damaging policies, some will vote for good measure, some won't. but one thing's for sure - some time between Monday and Christmas day the policitians will vote themselves a 5-10% pay rise ...

Not in NZ. Some time ago NZ created an independent pay commission which gives them a rise every year automatically instead. In general it is designed to keep pace with increasing executive remuneration in the private sector.

kyhwana2

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#550290 26-Nov-2011 13:44

alasta:
stuzz: Nope. It is not illegal to not cast a vote. The only thing is if you don't vote you should refrain from complaining about anything political for the next 3 years.

People are perfectly entitled to complain about whatever they like. It's called freedom of speech.

Except for today, no freedom of speech on Election Day according to the law.

Dratsab

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#550312 26-Nov-2011 15:38

A colleague of mine posted this on facebook today, which I think sums things up quite nicely:

"Hope all you eligible voters are getting out there to exercise that most basic right today. If you think ANZAC day is worth observing, then do all those young boys who put themselves in harms way the respect of exercising the right they thought was worth dying for on your behalf. Don't waste our soldiers blood people, have an opinion."

NonprayingMantis

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#550323 26-Nov-2011 16:15

Dratsab: A colleague of mine posted this on facebook today, which I think sums things up quite nicely:

"Hope all you eligible voters are getting out there to exercise that most basic right today. If you think ANZAC day is worth observing, then do all those young boys who put themselves in harms way the respect of exercising the right they thought was worth dying for on your behalf. Don't waste our soldiers blood people, have an opinion."

I always find this argument bizarre. The Anzacs didn't go to war to protect the right to vote.

freitasm

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#550324 26-Nov-2011 16:17

Troops go to war either to conquer something or defend it. ANZAC didn't go all the way from here to just conquer anything. They went there to defend the status quo. Because the alternative would be a completely different political system.

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codyc1515

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#550331 26-Nov-2011 16:25

What's the point? Tell me who's going to get in: 1) National or 2) Labour. Funny, theres no one else on that list.

rhy7s

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#550332 26-Nov-2011 16:25

People are perfectly entitled to complain about whatever they like. It's called freedom of speech.

You don't find that comment a little ironic? It's amazing what people take for granted.

freitasm

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#550336 26-Nov-2011 16:32

IANAL, but the way I see it, Freedom of Speech is a political right. It's granted so citizens can criticize their government without fear of retaliation. It's also limited by statutes such as libel, defamation.

It's not a "private" right. This means you can talk whatever you want in a public space. But you can't do it when you are inside my property - this includes for example this web site.

When someone is moderated or banned from Geekzone and draw the "freedom of speech" card, I have just one advice: buy your own domain name, pay for your own hosting and then you are free to say whatever you want. Or do it on the street.

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#550338 26-Nov-2011 16:35

Gilco2: You have to enroll or you can be fined. You don't have to vote though. However even though we have freedom of speech, I feel you lose the right to complain about government if you don't exercise your right to vote

Agreed, even though you aren't like to be stopped from voicing your opinion, a lot of people, myself included have very little respect for those who complain about decisions made by a Govt, if they didn't vote.

Personally I think it's a right people have died to have, is it really too much to ask for a little interest and 20 minutes every 3 years to have your say?

NonprayingMantis

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#550340 26-Nov-2011 16:36

freitasm: Troops go to war either to conquer something or defend it. ANZAC didn't go all the way from here to just conquer anything. They went there to defend the status quo. Because the alternative would be a completely different political system.

well for one, they went at the command of the british king, so if anything they were defending the system of monarchy.

Furthermore, whilst the 'satus quo' gives people the right to vote, it also gives them the right NOT to vote, so to put it another way, the Anzacs were defending the right to choose whether or not you vote.

Also, they were going to war against a government that was also voted into power (germany)

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#550341 26-Nov-2011 16:37

You dont have to vote, just be enrolled thats all the law asks. Dont ever complain though about something the Government does.

NonprayingMantis

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#550342 26-Nov-2011 16:38

networkn:
Gilco2: You have to enroll or you can be fined. You don't have to vote though. However even though we have freedom of speech, I feel you lose the right to complain about government if you don't exercise your right to vote

Agreed, even though you aren't like to be stopped from voicing your opinion, a lot of people, myself included have very little respect for those who complain about decisions made by a Govt, if they didn't vote.

Personally I think it's a right people have died to have, is it really too much to ask for a little interest and 20 minutes every 3 years to have your say?

what about if they voted for the party that did win? does that give them more or less of a right to complain?

NonprayingMantis

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#550344 26-Nov-2011 16:39

we had a similar discussion in another thread, and lots of people voiced the opinion similar to "you can't complain about the government if you didn't vote" but despite repeated requests, nobody explained to me why this is. Anybody care to explain in this thread?

stuzz

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#550345 26-Nov-2011 16:45

NonprayingMantis: we had a similar discussion in another thread, and lots of people voiced the opinion similar to "you can't complain about the government if you didn't vote" but despite repeated requests, nobody explained to me why this is. Anybody care to explain in this thread?

I guess it could be the opinion, that if you do not exercise your right to vote, then it could be taken that you don't care. Therefore if you don't like what the resulting changes/policies that happen are, then your complaint could fall on deaf ears also.

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