Should everyone be allowed to vote?

In Mexico we have this rules enabled (well I dont know about the ex felony dudes) and it works (the voters should be citizens after all only they can be accountable that they "pay" their taxes or that they have their country's best interest in mind , allegedly anyway) , now do we have competent politicians? That is a whole different matter :( also this provides a standardized federal ID that works in all the states just the same.

@JasonR86 said:

I agree that only US citizens should be allowed to vote for US related governmental issues because they are the ones that ultimately pay or gain from those votes.  BUT, the whole 'ex-felons can't vote' business is idiotic.  If a person serves their time to completion and leaves prison amicably then their should be no reason their lives should have limitations placed on them.

Many ex-felons have other restrictions on their rights, such as gun ownership. You sacrifice things when you commit crimes. Want to avoid that? Don't commit crimes.

@MikeinSC said:

@ohnobruno said:

It's problem because there is no wave of mass voter impersonation. They are attempting to solve a problem that doesn't exist. But implemeneting stricter rules will end inevitably see these rules being inacted poorly and will end up disenfranchising a large number of voters. Florida has infamously purged thousands of legitimate voters from their voter registrations. In the end it will end up doing far more damage than good.

Given that there is no checking of ID's, claiming that there is no problem of voter impersonation is a stretch. That plenty of precincts have more votes than voters is an undeniable problem. Why is a photo ID such a burden? Are they saying minorities just can't procure one, since it's always "It'll disenfranchise people" that is the expressed reason for opposing something so common sense?

While there certainly cases where some precincts report more votes than voters, these are usually administrative errorsand would not be fixed by ID laws. And while it does sound easy for most people to present a photo ID, it is not the case for a significant number of people:

Although most Americans have government-issued photo ID, studies show that as many as 12% of eligible voters nationwide do not; the percentage is even higher for seniors, people of color, people with disabilities, low-income voters, and students. Many of those citizens find it hard to get such IDs, because the underlying documentation (the ID one needs to get ID) is often difficult to come by. Those difficulties will increase substantially if documentary proof of citizenship is needed to vote or to obtain the identification required to vote.

I want as many people as possible in this country to vote - the percentage who do is pathetic compared to other countries - and I don't want any restrictive laws to make that number any lower than it already is. In the end, I see these laws as creating more problems than they solve.

The felon thing is tough, because they're are people who get out and become productive citizens.  IDK how many of them would vote anyways, but maybe make it like 5 years after getting out of jail before they can vote again. 

Only those in the KISS army.

absolutely everyone should be able to vote.
it gets a bit slippery when you start denying people the ability to vote for various reasons.
 
sure dumb people might vote for dumb politicians, but they have the right to.

here's what i think - 
 
you must pay taxes in order to vote. if you pay taxes, you get to vote. 
 
if you don't pay your taxes, you don't get to vote.

I honestly think that you should be required to take a test before being able to vote. What I mean is that people should be tested on the candidates policies to see if they are not voting based on personality or popularity. That'll never happen, so I guess everyone should be allowed to vote no matter what.

@MikeinSC said:

@JasonR86 said:

I agree that only US citizens should be allowed to vote for US related governmental issues because they are the ones that ultimately pay or gain from those votes.  BUT, the whole 'ex-felons can't vote' business is idiotic.  If a person serves their time to completion and leaves prison amicably then their should be no reason their lives should have limitations placed on them.

Many ex-felons have other restrictions on their rights, such as gun ownership. You sacrifice things when you commit crimes. Want to avoid that? Don't commit crimes.

So if you commit any crime you should be screwed from the rights given to others for the rest of your life even if you've served your time in prison?  That's ridiculous.  For one, if I were a criminal and my rights were automatically limited for a crime I committed AND served time for then why would I bother to attempt to follow the straight and narrow life everyone else follows?  If I'm already at a disadvantage why would I care to work my way to a point of normalcy that everyone else automatically has?  Further, the point of prison is to serve time for a crime and once served the punishment for that crime should be over.  If the prison system works as it intends to (which is an entirely different topic) then that ex-felon should be rehabilitated.  Therefore, there should be no need for limits on their rights as they, due to the rehabilitation, should be no different then you or I.  If there is a fear that they are still not ready to be brought back into society then their sentence wasn't long enough.  But once out of prison the punishment is over. Finally, we're talking about voting here not guns.  Guns are more of an extreme thing that is another topic all together.  Voting is much more benign considering the impact of 'one' vote.  But it is a right all US citizens should have regardless of their past mistakes.

@Prodstep said:

Trusting the public to elect people is insane, they should just appoint the smartest man in the world emperor and he can decide what we should do, much easier that way, no more elections campaigns, no more ridiculous politicians, and we'd be in good hands and no more need to think about this stuff.

Define smart and define "they".

@MikeinSC said:

@ohnobruno said:

It's problem because there is no wave of mass voter impersonation. They are attempting to solve a problem that doesn't exist. But implemeneting stricter rules will end inevitably see these rules being inacted poorly and will end up disenfranchising a large number of voters. Florida has infamously purged thousands of legitimate voters from their voter registrations. In the end it will end up doing far more damage than good.

Given that there is no checking of ID's, claiming that there is no problem of voter impersonation is a stretch. That plenty of precincts have more votes than voters is an undeniable problem. Why is a photo ID such a burden? Are they saying minorities just can't procure one, since it's always "It'll disenfranchise people" that is the expressed reason for opposing something so common sense?

I can't speak for the rest of the country, but here is how its breaking down in Wisconsin. Along with the requirement of a state ID, the new governor has also implemented a shutting down of many DMV offices where you would get said IDs as well as changing the operational dates of many of the remaining ones. The result is making it very inconvenient for people in certain counties to actually procure a driver's license, considering they would be unable to drive to neighboring counties in the first place if they are current without a license. This coupled by an actual general lack of service announcements informing the public of such a change leads to the risk of many with citizenship simply not being able to acquire a license in time.

There are of course also those that try to cite that the DMV closures effect districts that tend to vote Democrats more than Republicans, though I think that's stretching it.

i think every us citizen should be able to vote.

I'm going to go out on a limb, and say that prisoners should be able to vote.

if you're a citizen of a country and you're over 18 then you should have a say in how your country is run

I don't know. Is this actually a horrible thing and am I a horrible person for not thinking so?

Yes, all adult citizens of good mental standing should be able to vote.

@MikeinSC said:

@ohnobruno said:

It's problem because there is no wave of mass voter impersonation. They are attempting to solve a problem that doesn't exist. But implemeneting stricter rules will end inevitably see these rules being inacted poorly and will end up disenfranchising a large number of voters. Florida has infamously purged thousands of legitimate voters from their voter registrations. In the end it will end up doing far more damage than good.

Given that there is no checking of ID's, claiming that there is no problem of voter impersonation is a stretch. That plenty of precincts have more votes than voters is an undeniable problem. Why is a photo ID such a burden? Are they saying minorities just can't procure one, since it's always "It'll disenfranchise people" that is the expressed reason for opposing something so common sense?

I can't speak for the rest of the country, but here is how its breaking down in Wisconsin. Along with the requirement of a state ID, the new governor has also implemented a shutting down of many DMV offices where you would get said IDs as well as changing the operational dates of many of the remaining ones. The result is making it very inconvenient for people in certain counties to actually procure a driver's license, considering they would be unable to drive to neighboring counties in the first place if they are current without a license. This coupled by an actual general lack of service announcements informing the public of such a change leads to the risk of many with citizenship simply not being able to acquire a license in time.

There are of course also those that try to cite that the DMV closures effect districts that tend to vote Democrats more than Republicans, though I think that's stretching it.

As long as you are of age (18), a legal US citizen (someone born here or who passed a citizenship test), and have no major criminal record/and or in jail when the vote happens then.... sure vote away.  I hope you understand when I say I dont think convicted child rapists, murderers, or say dudes who steal millions of dollars from a company and cause thousands of people to lose their jobs deserve to vote.  I mean really you want the Enron guys to get a vote?  If bobby the shop lifter or darrel the jaywalker want to cast a ballot more power to them.

I don't disagree with Kark at all. Though I do think we shouldn't make registration as easy as it is. You want to make people vote? Make them do a little bit of work to be allowed to do so. They will exercise their vote way more often that way.

I believe Winston Churchill said that Democracy was the worst form of government, except for all of the others, and that the greatest argument against democracy was 5 minutes with the average voter. 
 
Anyways, those are good limitations, except for the ex-felon one. I don't really think that if someone got caught with drugs when they were dumb and 18 they should have to be punished for it for the rest of their lives.

Well, the 3rd rule is a little outrageous. I don't see why ex-felons. 
 
But to answer your question, the answer is no, not everyone SHOULD be allowed to. Those who base their votes on something they heard on the news, political advertisements, or other unreliable sources, shouldn't vote.  
 
People that vote for one single party simply because they are a member of that party shouldn't vote.  
 
Those who vote based on a candidates traits, such as sex, race, religion, or other unimportant things shouldn't vote. 
 
Unfortunately, those people vote, and that is part of why our nation is so screwed up.

Requiring a photo ID sounds like a good idea. 
 
If a person is even the least bit responsible, then they'll have their photo ID. Responsible people, even only the slightly responsible ones, are more likely to have researched the candidate that they are casting their ballet for. Not to mention that this solves any problems of non-citizen voters. 
 
As for felons? Eh. Again, the ones that care enough about voting rights are the ones who will probably try to turn their lives around. The ones who are going to be back in prison in a month or less are probably not going to give two shits about voting. 
 
While in prison, though, you shouldn't be able to vote at all.

Your right, lets just let a bunch of Norweigens come in and vote, and while your at it, all the 6 year olds at the school up the road form my house.

They need to control it, what do you expect, them to just put a box and have people slip papers with names on em into it?

How about we only let the lower class vote?? no ..oh ok

everyone should vote as long as they got an id and at the proper age.

I believe voting should be obligatory. Most countries in Asia, Europe and South/Central america are that way. Also, people would stop complaining to who's in charge.

I honestly think you have to at least be graduated from High school to vote at the very least but that will never happen.

No. 

No, not everyone should be allowed to vote. There are too many idiots in the world. I don't need a mass amount of idiots electing officials into office. If more people would make smart decisions and think before the checked the mark next to someone's name, maybe government would be more effective.

Only the rich and soldiers should be allowed to vote

As soon as you restrict who can vote

I honestly think you have to at least be graduated from High school to vote at the very least but that will never happen.

I don't disagree with Kark at all. Though I do think we shouldn't make registration as easy as it is. You want to make people vote? Make them do a little bit of work to be allowed to do so. They will exercise their vote way more often that way.

Yes, all adult citizens of good mental standing should be able to vote.

you have failed as a democracy

I don't see why felons shouldn't be allowed to vote.  It seems like just another thing to make them fall back into their old ways.  

I would not be opposed to requiring an ID to be presented before voting. In the last election, somebody tried to vote claiming to be me. Luckily, the lady working at the polling place had been my neighbor for 16 years and knew that guy wasn't me.

@Vinny_Says said:

Only the rich and soldiers should be allowed to vote

As soon as you restrict who can vote

I honestly think you have to at least be graduated from High school to vote at the very least but that will never happen.

I don't disagree with Kark at all. Though I do think we shouldn't make registration as easy as it is. You want to make people vote? Make them do a little bit of work to be allowed to do so. They will exercise their vote way more often that way.

Yes, all adult citizens of good mental standing should be able to vote.

you have failed as a democracy

Wait, why did I get quoted on this? ("Yes, all adult citizens of good mental standing should be able to vote")

You certainly don't think children and the mentally ill should vote, do you?

Only the rich and soldiers should be allowed to vote

As soon as you restrict who can vote

I honestly think you have to at least be graduated from High school to vote at the very least but that will never happen.

I don't disagree with Kark at all. Though I do think we shouldn't make registration as easy as it is. You want to make people vote? Make them do a little bit of work to be allowed to do so. They will exercise their vote way more often that way.

Yes, all adult citizens of good mental standing should be able to vote.

you have failed as a democracy

If they agree with my positions then yes. If not then no, they should be banned from voting.

@Nocall said:

1) Some states make you present a government issued ID before you can vote

2) Some states make you prove you're a US citizen before you can register to vote

These seem perfectly reasonable to me.

3) Some states are not allowing ex-felons to vote

This is the only one that might stir up some debate.

@G3RHRT said:

@Vinny_Says said:

Only the rich and soldiers should be allowed to vote

As soon as you restrict who can vote

I honestly think you have to at least be graduated from High school to vote at the very least but that will never happen.

I don't disagree with Kark at all. Though I do think we shouldn't make registration as easy as it is. You want to make people vote? Make them do a little bit of work to be allowed to do so. They will exercise their vote way more often that way.

Yes, all adult citizens of good mental standing should be able to vote.

you have failed as a democracy

Wait, why did I get quoted on this? ("Yes, all adult citizens of good mental standing should be able to vote")

You certainly don't think children and the mentally ill should vote, do you?

So people on anti-depressants should not be allowed to vote? They are classified as being mentally ill too...

@Chaoskiller2000

So high school dropouts, such as Jeff Gerstmann, who pay taxes and were born in this country should not be allowed to vote?

@Vinny_Says said:

@G3RHRT said:

@Vinny_Says said:

Only the rich and soldiers should be allowed to vote

As soon as you restrict who can vote

I honestly think you have to at least be graduated from High school to vote at the very least but that will never happen.

I don't disagree with Kark at all. Though I do think we shouldn't make registration as easy as it is. You want to make people vote? Make them do a little bit of work to be allowed to do so. They will exercise their vote way more often that way.

Yes, all adult citizens of good mental standing should be able to vote.

you have failed as a democracy

Wait, why did I get quoted on this? ("Yes, all adult citizens of good mental standing should be able to vote")

You certainly don't think children and the mentally ill should vote, do you?

So people on anti-depressants should not be allowed to vote? They are classified as being mentally ill too...

@Chaoskiller2000

So high school dropouts, such as Jeff Gerstmann, who pay taxes and were born in this country should not be allowed to vote?

You're arguing semantics? You know well what I meant. Children and the insane should not be permitted to vote.

@G3RHRT: Bitch our society is all about semantics. I know perfectly what you meant, but how far will these rules and regulations go? You can't go around saying shit like that without thinking of the implications.

@Vinny_Says said:

@G3RHRT: Bitch our society is all about semantics. I know perfectly what you meant, but how far will these rules and regulations go? You can't go around saying shit like that without thinking of the implications.

I first said

Yes, all adult citizens of good mental standing should be able to vote.

and you're throwing it around as if I had declared a new Holocaust.

What do you mean "how far" will they go? If you understood what I said why are you even thinking about absolutes? You want me to write an essay here just so that bored people in this game forum won't nitpick at my very general statement? Why don't you go ahead and ask me "what defines a child" already?

And why the hell are you calling me a bitch? I never once insulted you.

not only should everyone be allowed, everyone should be required; in all elections

I agree with number one and two, but not so much three. If you've served your time and have been released you should have just as much of a right to vote as anyone else.

Yes, all US citizens of age should, and I don't mean corporations. It's a little messed up that convicted felons cannot vote. The prison system is so fucked up right now and they are the most informed on the subject.

@Nocall said:

I just read this horribly slanted "news article" that was essentially demonizing the Republican party [...]

Republican politicians ARE demons, though.

No.

Illegals have no business voting, but then again they get credit cards, loans, leech off our SS(I), Welfare and Food Stamps so why not? we bitch and moan about our economy well let's start with the illegal mexicans who come over, pop out 10 kids, somehow get loans, credit cards, leech over $500 a month of food stamps, SS, welfare etc. And no.. i am not racist i look at the facts, i know an illegal who has his own business, got a 50k business loan, his family got even more to open 2 resteraunts, his sisters both get over $500 a month of foodstamps and all are illegal.

They piss me off, especially the ones who think they deserve rights, you're here illegally, you deserve nothing. And i don't think convicted people should have the right either, if you want to have a system on who can/can't vote withing the convictions like pedos,rapist,murderers etc. im ok with that.

And don't even think about bringing up the oh you are illegals! you came and took this land blah blah, we also built this, you don't see US people sneaking into canada leeching off their government.

We need to crack down on all government money, drug test, bi-yearly check ins to see if you deserve it and if you are legal etc.

^ Well that rant certainly had nothing to do with the topic.  Good job.  

democracy is 1 of the greatest achievements of the human world 
 
but there is a problem , it can be easily corrupted , real democracy died thousands years ago , these days we have something that looks like democracy  
 
sad but true

No, an uneducated voter is very dangerous but then the entire exercise of democracy induces individuals to be ignorant of politics so the real problem is democracy.

Who says I should have to get a government issued ID? I do not need a driver license or a passport. My word should be enough and if not my birth certificate, but they do not take those. The rules for ID are made precisely to intimidate people it is just modern poll tax and that should be illegal.