Vote or else, what?

“Get up, stand up, Stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, Don't give up the fight.”
Bob Marley 

Mr. Peter Bunting - voting in 2011
Photo – Dave Lindo 

Gleaner Published: Friday | December 30, 2011

The topic of compulsory voting is hot, no doubt driven by Member of Parliament, Mr. Everald Warmington’s recent utterances. Whatever the reason for its resurgence it’s always worth debating, if for no other reason than to focus public attention on this Right. If we’re really lucky we may even convince a few fence squatters to join the ranks of the voting. My own opinion on the topic of compulsory voting swings from “democracy is too important to be optional”[i] to “it is not consistent with the freedom associated with democracy”[ii], pausing for long periods on ambivalent’s varandah.

Let me state clearly, that I have voted in every general election since I reached voting age and have voted in several local government elections too. I believe those who vote freely in general elections and as a matter of course, are likely to be voters, generally. By ‘generally’ I mean these are the same individuals who tend to participate in voting exercises wherever they present themselves. We, and here I include myself, attend and participate in, Parent Teacher’s Meetings, Citizens’ Associations, Church/School and other community efforts. We volunteer or allow ourselves to be volunteered for this and that in service to our communities, families and friends. We fill out the survey forms and give the nice customer service agent a minute of our time to answer a few short questions. We are known as the reliable ones, the dependable ones, the ones you can call upon to do something last minute or we know how to or who can, get it done.

We attend the meetings even if we don’t voice an opinion but check a box or raise our hands when asked to vote. We believe that whatever "it" is, won’t get better if people like us do not participate, even if we do so out of enlightened self-interest. We have strong opinions on a variety of issues and sometimes voice them, but we believe it is our duty to do what we can to improve our lot. We don’t leave "it" to chance, or hope that someone else will pick up the slack. You know us well and sometimes, you disdainfully opine behind our backs that, we’re all up in everything. You take us for granted anyway and ask us what happened when you don’t turn up.   

It’s almost impossible to convince individuals who see no point to voting in a general election in Jamaica, to vote. They want a reason to vote, they need to be convinced that it will matter, they often genuinely believe in the rightness of the message they think their non-participation sends.

Traffic Amnesty Cross Roads tax office in St Andrew
Published: Sunday | January 6, 2013
Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer  

Today, on the subject of compulsory voting, I’m pausing on ambivalent’s verandah again but I just know we can do better. How about just adding another option on the ballot that says “None of the Above”? That way we may at least be able to quantify the segment of the voting age population that is prepared to participate but see not real choice.

That might work, but for some (too many), I’m afraid they’ll always be too lazy or disengaged to be bothered. As for compulsion, recall what happened with the traffic ticket amnesty. Now apply that chaos to a post election scene.

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[i] The Economist explains Where is it compulsory to vote? Sep 19th 2013, 23:50 by T.W.

[ii] IDEA Compulsory Voting What is compulsory voting?