"Max Demian" wrote in message
o.uk...
On 13/05/2018 11:56, Rod Speed wrote:
Jeff Layman wrote
Rod Speed wrote

And since I stopped working for the govt I have avoided being on
the electoral role so I dont have to vote given voting is compulsory
here so maybe thats why I havent been called since. Tho its more
likely they dont track who stops working for the govt or something.

I thought that it was compulsory to be on the electoral role in Oz.

In theory it is, but in practice its completely unenforceable.

Over here, we have to complete a form (once a year IIRC) asking who at
the address the form has been sent to is eligible to vote, or is about
to become eligible to vote (by their age).

They used to have someone show up every couple of years and ask
who lives there, but that hasnt happened for over a decade now.

And when they left the card, I just ignored that.

They did send me letters for a while demanding an answer
with threats about what would happen if I didnt answer but
I just ignored them and dont even get the letters anymore.

Failure to complete and return the form (to the local council) is an
offence.

It is here too, but they have no way of enforcing that.

I can't say that I've ever understood the reason behind the Oz law for
compulsory voting.

Its always been one of those controversys.

Do they think it gives some legitimacy to the voting process?

They rightly believe that while ever its compulsory, more will bother to
vote.

When I was still on the roll, I just said I was sick that day when they
demanded to know why I hadn't voted and nothing happened when I did.

Apparently now they can fine you anyway, most
obviously when you say that with every election.

Mind you, $20 is a small price to pay for avoiding to vote for the bunch
of crooks you have over there.

Thats only the penalty for not voting in a federal election.
Its $55 with state and local govt elections in my state.

Over here, it would have to be at least twice as much...

Its more than that here. $124 in South Australia.

Can you vote for "none of the above" or spoil your paper?

That is spoiling your paper and you are also free to not mark
the paper at all, just put the blank one in the ballot box.

But that does involve doing something like show up at a
polling booth or do a postal vote. We are free to use any
polling booth we like, but its a complete waste of time
if you dont want to vote and so I do it the other way.

On 13/05/2018 20:28, Rod Speed wrote:


"Max Demian" wrote in message
o.uk...
On 13/05/2018 11:56, Rod Speed wrote:
Jeff Layman wrote
Rod Speed wrote

And since I stopped working for the govt I have avoided being on
the electoral role so I dont have to vote given voting is compulsory
here so maybe thats why I havent been called since. Tho its more
likely they dont track who stops working for the govt or something.

I thought that it was compulsory to be on the electoral role in Oz.

In theory it is, but in practice its completely unenforceable.

Over here, we have to complete a form (once a year IIRC) asking who
at the address the form has been sent to is eligible to vote, or is
about to become eligible to vote (by their age).

They used to have someone show up every couple of years and ask
who lives there, but that hasnt happened for over a decade now.

And when they left the card, I just ignored that.

They did send me letters for a while demanding an answer
with threats about what would happen if I didnt answer but
I just ignored them and dont even get the letters anymore.

Failure to complete and return the form (to the local council) is an
offence.

It is here too, but they have no way of enforcing that.

I can't say that I've ever understood the reason behind the Oz law
for compulsory voting.

Its always been one of those controversys.

Do they think it gives some legitimacy to the voting process?

They rightly believe that while ever its compulsory, more will bother
to vote.

When I was still on the roll, I just said I was sick that day when they
demanded to know why I hadn't voted and nothing happened when I did.

Apparently now they can fine you anyway, most
obviously when you say that with every election.

Mind you, $20 is a small price to pay for avoiding to vote for the
bunch of crooks you have over there.

Thats only the penalty for not voting in a federal election.
Its $55 with state and local govt elections in my state.

Over here, it would have to be at least twice as much...

Its more than that here. $124 in South Australia.

Can you vote for "none of the above" or spoil your paper?

That is spoiling your paper and you are also free to not mark
the paper at all, just put the blank one in the ballot box.

I would put an X in every box or someone else might vote on my behalf.

But that does involve doing something like show up at a
polling booth or do a postal vote. We are free to use any
polling booth we like, but its a complete waste of time
if you dont want to vote and so I do it the other way.

I can see some value in making people go through the motions of voting,
unless apathy is regarded as a democratic right in itself.

--
Max Demian

In article , Mr Pounder Esquire
writes
Marland wrote:
Mr Pounder Esquire wrote:
Another Dave wrote:
Some of you may remember that last September, at the age of 75, I
was summoned for jury service for the first time in my life. Since
I can't stay awake after 1:00 without having a sleep. I wrote to
them, with supporting evidence, that I was 75 and diabetic. I got
off.

Now I have been "randomly selected" again for jury service. I'm
aware the random numbers can, in the short term, exhibit peculiar
effects but I'm still cynical.

I'll just repeat the process that worked last time. Roll on 76.

Another Dave

I did read somewhere that if you just ignore the letter they will
find somebody else.
Is this true?

I suppose they would have to get somebody else if a cranky Judge
jailed you for contempt of court.
Probably unlikely , £1000 pound fine is what you risk.

GH

Just how can ignoring a letter /not replying be viewed as contempt of court?
If a judge decides it's contempt of court then it is contempt of court -
end of.
I often get letters delivered to me which are not for me. I shove them back
into the post box with "Not known at this address" written on the envelope.




--
bert

"Tim Streater" wrote in message
.. .
In article , Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 12/05/18 20:37, Rod Speed wrote:

And since I stopped working for the govt I have avoided being on
the electoral role so I dont have to vote given voting is compulsory
here so maybe thats why I havent been called since. Tho its more
likely they dont track who stops working for the govt or something.

I thought that it was compulsory to be on the electoral role in Oz. Over
here, we have to complete a form (once a year IIRC) asking who at the
address the form has been sent to is eligible to vote, or is about to
become eligible to vote (by their age). Failure to complete and return the
form (to the local council) is an offence.

I can't say that I've ever understood the reason behind the Oz law for
compulsory voting. Do they think it gives some legitimacy to the voting
process? Mind you, $20 is a small price to pay for avoiding to vote for
the bunch of crooks you have over there. Over here, it would have to be at
least twice as much...

The cry over here to make it compulsory is just a smoke screen. With
compulsory voting, you can hide the turnout figure that you might
otherwise get. Such as the drop in turnout for Westminster polls which
over the years, by not being hidden, have highlighted the decline in
apparent importance of the HoC under the onslaught of EU directives and
regulations.

IMO its more because they dont see much difference
between the two main partys that can form govt.

Going to be interesting to see if that fool Corbyn makes any difference to
that.

ARW wrote:
On 13/05/2018 07:50, Graeme wrote:
In message , Mr Pounder Esquire
writes

A lady postie hammered on my front door a week or so ago with a
small parcel
which was not for me. My address, wrong person. I told her this and
she went
away. 30 mins later she sneaked back and rammed the parcel through
my letter
box. So much for tracking.

Royal Mail's job is to deliver to an address, not a name, so the
postie did what she is paid to do, and tracking to your address
therefore worked perfectly.


Of course it is:-)

http://viz.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/...stman-Plod.jpg

See above.

"Max Demian" wrote in message
...
On 13/05/2018 20:28, Rod Speed wrote:


"Max Demian" wrote in message
o.uk...
On 13/05/2018 11:56, Rod Speed wrote:
Jeff Layman wrote
Rod Speed wrote

And since I stopped working for the govt I have avoided being on
the electoral role so I dont have to vote given voting is compulsory
here so maybe thats why I havent been called since. Tho its more
likely they dont track who stops working for the govt or something.

I thought that it was compulsory to be on the electoral role in Oz.

In theory it is, but in practice its completely unenforceable.

Over here, we have to complete a form (once a year IIRC) asking who at
the address the form has been sent to is eligible to vote, or is about
to become eligible to vote (by their age).

They used to have someone show up every couple of years and ask
who lives there, but that hasnt happened for over a decade now.

And when they left the card, I just ignored that.

They did send me letters for a while demanding an answer
with threats about what would happen if I didnt answer but
I just ignored them and dont even get the letters anymore.

Failure to complete and return the form (to the local council) is an
offence.

It is here too, but they have no way of enforcing that.

I can't say that I've ever understood the reason behind the Oz law for
compulsory voting.

Its always been one of those controversys.

Do they think it gives some legitimacy to the voting process?

They rightly believe that while ever its compulsory, more will bother
to vote.

When I was still on the roll, I just said I was sick that day when they
demanded to know why I hadn't voted and nothing happened when I did.

Apparently now they can fine you anyway, most
obviously when you say that with every election.

Mind you, $20 is a small price to pay for avoiding to vote for the
bunch of crooks you have over there.

Thats only the penalty for not voting in a federal election.
Its $55 with state and local govt elections in my state.

Over here, it would have to be at least twice as much...

Its more than that here. $124 in South Australia.

Can you vote for "none of the above" or spoil your paper?

That is spoiling your paper and you are also free to not mark
the paper at all, just put the blank one in the ballot box.

I would put an X in every box or someone else might vote on my behalf.

No point here, the candidates have their own scrutineers
who watch the counting of the votes so they would see
anyone who was filling in blank ballots for theirs.

But that does involve doing something like show up at a
polling booth or do a postal vote. We are free to use any
polling booth we like, but its a complete waste of time
if you dont want to vote and so I do it the other way.

I can see some value in making people go through the motions of voting,

Yeah, presumably some who are forced to show up at the
polling booth will actually bother to vote for someone.

unless apathy is regarded as a democratic right in itself.

Main problem with compulsory voting is that plenty have
no interest in politics etc and dont take any notice of the
political news and its very arguable if it makes any sense
for them to be made to vote.

And there is a real tendency for people like that to just
vote for any name they recognise which means that
you can get some well known people get voted for even
tho hardly anyone knows what they are for policy wise.

Corse with the party system, it hardly ever matters what they
are for policy wise, its the party that decides what happens
even if that individual does get elected and their party is
the govt.

On 12/05/2018 19:44, NY wrote:

I loathe and detest the conscription aspect of jury service. I feel very
strongly that being a juror should be a full time profession that you
choose to do, not a so-called duty that you cannot evade unless you have
a very good excuse and which takes you away from your normal life - and
then can't even talk about afterwards except in very general terms.

I think one of the points is that the jury are ordinary people,
_not_legal professionals with their slightly unusual view of the world.

I've never been called, and I'm 60 this year.

Andy