To the Editor,
To make elections fair, rather than expend time/energy/money on what ultimately amounts to excluding potential voters, why don’t we do what Australia does and legislate mandatory voting?
After all, we need laws to legislate against something as common sense as not drinking and driving because sometimes we’re too stupid to know what’s good for us, so why not something equally as common sense as voting?
Something, in a country where we don’t have to risk our lives to do so, it should be common sense.
Help reduce the deficit by fining those who don’t show up to the polls $500 which would be referred to a collection agency if not paid up.
Maybe that would get more apathetic Canucks up off their duffs on election day, and we could focus less on a mission of excluding suspicious voters and focus more on getting as many eligible voters to the polls as possible.
Liz Stonard,
Port Alberni