Voting

[Tommy T.]

37 minutes ago, GeoffH said:

I find myself wondering; in Australia when you are called up for jury duty it is compulsory to attend unless you have a legitimate reason to defer or a legitimate reason that you are incapable of either attending or performing the duties of a juror (at least for that particular case).  Is that also the case in other democracies?  In the USA? or in GB?

 

Yes, it is exactly the same in USA, but only if you have registered to vote.

[JDDavao II]

On 1/25/2020 at 9:07 AM, hk blues said:

I suppose they should - if people want to vote in order to influence the result then it's only fair they pay for whatever policies they chose to support.

This is why I use Washington State for federal voting purposes only. A few times I did my civic duty and duly researched all of the ballot issues and candidates from here but since my vote doesn't affect me anymore, I don't do that.

[Dave Hounddriver]

2 hours ago, JDDavao said:

my vote doesn't affect me anymore

3 hours ago, GeoffH said:

I ask because the principle is (to me at least) similar, in both cases

JD answers that, Geoff.  If you feel the vote will not affect you either way and you have heard the campaigns of all parties and feel no compelling reason to vote for any of the parties then you could stay home and abstain, IMHO.  But the jury duty is different.  None of the jurors are supposed to know any of the facts, going into it,  so it would be unusual to abstain when you do not know any of the fact, again IMHO.

[GeoffH]

28 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

JD answers that, Geoff.  If you feel the vote will not affect you either way and you have heard the campaigns of all parties and feel no compelling reason to vote for any of the parties then you could stay home and abstain, IMHO.  But the jury duty is different.  None of the jurors are supposed to know any of the facts, going into it,  so it would be unusual to abstain when you do not know any of the fact, again IMHO.

 

I think that ignores the part about 'responsibility to ones democratic system' and I get that a particular vote may not effect you as an individual but should not it be part of the responsibility of each adult member of sound mind to do their part to guide their democracy moving forward?  

 

[Tukaram (Tim)]

4 hours ago, GeoffH said:

 

I think that ignores the part about 'responsibility to ones democratic system' and I get that a particular vote may not effect you as an individual but should not it be part of the responsibility of each adult member of sound mind to do their part to guide their democracy moving forward?  

 

Yes, you have a duty to society.  Voting (and jury duty) are both a duty and an honor.

[Old55]

2 hours ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

Yes, you have a duty to society.  Voting (and jury duty) are both a duty and an honor.

Exactly Tim.

We should remember many have paid the ultimate price for the privilege to choose our leaders and judge those who are accused of crimes.

[JDDavao II]

7 hours ago, GeoffH said:

 

I think that ignores the part about 'responsibility to ones democratic system' and I get that a particular vote may not effect you as an individual but should not it be part of the responsibility of each adult member of sound mind to do their part to guide their democracy moving forward?  

 

That's a thoughtful take, Geoff. I do still vote in Congressional and Presidential races. I suppose i could still research the ballot issues from here and get a decent general picture of things (especially since it's Seattle) but I'd feel like Congress exempting itself from the laws it passes. 

[Old55]

1 hour ago, JDDavao said:

That's a thoughtful take, Geoff. I do still vote in Congressional and Presidential races. I suppose i could still research the ballot issues from here and get a decent general picture of things (especially since it's Seattle) but I'd feel like Congress exempting itself from the laws it passes. 

This is why it's so important to vote especially considering the far left radicals in Olympia breaking the US and State of Washington Constitution. 

[Mike J]

Let's be careful that this does not stray into a discussion of politics or parties.  Not there yet, but edging closer. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

50 minutes ago, Mike J said:

Let's be careful that this does not stray into a discussion of politics or parties.

Correct.  Let us remind ourselves that US voters are not obligated to vote, however, there is some kind of ballot box for early voting available.  It may be a confusing concept as all parties are not yet on the ballot for the 2020 election but once again, here is the question from the opening post:

On 10/23/2018 at 11:03 AM, JerryNRea said:

I recently went to the US Embassy to take care of paperwork for getting married to my Sweet Rea and noticed a ballot box there to drop off ballets to vote in the upcoming election. It is near the front door and you can check in, drop off the ballet and go right back out. I am not sure how long it will be available for early voting, or how long it will take to an absentee ballot to reach the US.  Anyone with further information, please pass it on. I will check into this deeper. 

So have these points been adequately addressed?