Letter to the Editor: Voting Lessons Can Be Learned From Australia

Posted

Difference in voting between Australia (and some other countries) is that Australia has compulsory voting and if you don’t vote you are issued with a fine. President Barack Obama liked this idea but didn’t have time to implement it.

Secondly, results and counting doesn’t start until the booths are closed in Western Australia, which can be three hours difference, if in the summer.

Here results are revealed way before the booths close in the West, Alaska and Hawaii.

With the early announcements it is no wonder that voting numbers are down in the west.

If they waited until the booths close in Hawaii, that is six hours difference from the eastern seaboard, so be it if that is the case. More people in the west may vote instead of just throwing up their arms and what’s the point of voting.



 

Ron Field

Morton