On line registration for voting sounds like an open invitation to end democracy.

We see enough problems now from branch stacking of our ALP, imagine if this little temptation was put in front of them.

Getup! were trying to skew the system, I'm so glad they failed in their little plan to subvert the system and basically stack the electoral system. Getup! were only enrolling ALP voters weren't they? Of course they were, for what reason? To ensure the ALP was elected - if they were doing this without favour, then I'd support it, but it's a typical ALP tactic.

if people don't enrol, so what, that's their right.

it may not suit you, but if they are too lazy to enroll, then it should not be to the advantage of one group to automatically be able to bring them in. Then again, weren't the ALP busing people to enroll in the last election in the seat of Bennelong? Wasn't that handy!

We all know most young people vote ALP or Green, but that's the whole point isn't it - some folks just can't stand the fact the conservatives might have a chance. So let's dispense with the current system, as skewed as it is and skew it even further.

Would you like to get rid of voting completely mate, and just have the ALP run things?

Seriously, I'm not being facetious .. do you want to live in an ALP dictatorship?

George,

I just have to be the first to thank you for this article. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Not since 'Frozen Continent' have I enjoyed one of your contributions so much.

So many absolutely beautiful lines upon which to hang so hopefully many posts, so little time to post them in!

In all, a most perfect mirror in which I am confident shall be reflected the enormous degree of communal ignorance, complacency, and naivety as to matters touching upon the electoral rolls and the integrity of elections.

Time is desperately short, but the public's need to know is even more urgent.

I hereby place your article upon the index.

To the lists!

Dayyum!

But that's OK. Amicus makes some good points.

I do not consider, George, that the absence of 1.4 million Australians from the Electoral Roll represents a "mockery" of the election.

[mockery n.
1. Scornfully contemptuous ridicule; derision.
2. A specific act of ridicule or derision.
3. An object of scorn or ridicule
4. Something ludicrously futile or unsuitable]

Do you perhaps have evidence that those "miyyuns" of folk would have an impact on the election outcome? I know quite a few statisticians who would argue otherwise.

I would perhaps tentatively agree that you might make a case that it moves against the concept of compulsory voting - although I wouldn't consider it a "mockery", just a fact of life.

The entire concept of compulsory voting is flawed anyway - as poster Ludwig points out elsewhere, it is after all merely compulsion to attend, not to register a vote. That would require the State to be looking over your shoulder, and we wouldn't want that, would we?

As an advert for GetUp, the article also fails the sincerity test.

All in all, just sound and fury, signifying nothing of particular interest or relevance.

George, perhaps you should accept that some people simply aren't interested in politics and don't want to vote. Of course, people should be encouraged to exercise the democratic rights that our predecessors fought for, but making it an offence not to vote or agonising over other people's decisions not to enrol, is disrespectful. Their choice, not yours !

"The number of people off the rolls erodes the legitimacy of the election. On August 21, our next government may be decided by a few thousand votes in a few key marginal seats. A higher level of enrolment could lead to a different outcome."

This appears to be GW's core concern.

I would have thought that if they were that interested they would have kept AEC up to date but if doing so is so hard then I guess we should provide simpler mechanisms for this to occur.

We should make it as simple as possible for the apathetic to participate so they can exact their revenge on those who are not by voting informally, donkey voting etc.

It's the only way we'll ever learn.

George, there really are more important topics to raise when it comes to electoral processes, e.g. the deplorable and corrupt preference deals that occur, especially in the Senate.