Comments on: How to change the voting system? http://1000times1000.com/2007/04/19/how-to-change-the-voting-system/ 1000 days | 1000 blogs Sat, 6 Sep 2008 03:28:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: patrick http://1000times1000.com/2007/04/19/how-to-change-the-voting-system/#comment-21331 Sun, 22 Apr 2007 17:16:37 +0000 http://1000times1000.com/2007/04/19/how-to-change-the-voting-system/#comment-21331 Hey Wouter, My idea is definitely not to give smart and interested people more voting power. One of the things I like to tink about is how to give people more incentive to vote. In the Netherlands about 30% of the people (who are allowed to vote) do not vote at all. So first of all it should be easier to cast your vote (via the Internet). Another idea is to get people more involved into politics. Empowering votes might just do that. But the way you should implement that is a difficult discussion and goes beyond my scope. I just think it is an interesting discussion though. Hey Wouter,

My idea is definitely not to give smart and interested people more voting power. One of the things I like to tink about is how to give people more incentive to vote. In the Netherlands about 30% of the people (who are allowed to vote) do not vote at all.
So first of all it should be easier to cast your vote (via the Internet). Another idea is to get people more involved into politics. Empowering votes might just do that.
But the way you should implement that is a difficult discussion and goes beyond my scope. I just think it is an interesting discussion though.

]]> by: Wouter http://1000times1000.com/2007/04/19/how-to-change-the-voting-system/#comment-21263 Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:21:41 +0000 http://1000times1000.com/2007/04/19/how-to-change-the-voting-system/#comment-21263 Some politician (I forgot who :)) once said that democracy isn't the best form of government, but it is better than any other form they tried. Your idea sounds interesting, but i do have some remarks. I think it rather impossible (to decide how) to measure if a vote should be counted or not. Is it ok to vote labor if you think they got good politicians? Is it ok to vote some right wing party, because you think they are the only ones to address the (perceived) immigrant problem? Do you think it's ok to vote some left wing party because no one else seems to care about bio-industry? Secondly, I think the interests of the 'smart/interested people' (the ones that will pass a voting test like you propose) are different from the interests of the 'dumb/don't care people' (people that will fail a voting test). Eventually, the smart will rule the weak, and that's not what democracy is about. You might believe the smart people's intentions are good, but you cannot base a form on government on these kinds of beliefs. Thirdly, you could wonder if 'better' voting will result in a better government, or increased quality of life or whatever. No matter how stupid a vote might be, the politician that got the vote should be capable to do his/her job just fine. Some politician (I forgot who :)) once said that democracy isn’t the best form of government, but it is better than any other form they tried.

Your idea sounds interesting, but i do have some remarks.

I think it rather impossible (to decide how) to measure if a vote should be counted or not. Is it ok to vote labor if you think they got good politicians? Is it ok to vote some right wing party, because you think they are the only ones to address the (perceived) immigrant problem? Do you think it’s ok to vote some left wing party because no one else seems to care about bio-industry?

Secondly, I think the interests of the ’smart/interested people’ (the ones that will pass a voting test like you propose) are different from the interests of the ‘dumb/don’t care people’ (people that will fail a voting test). Eventually, the smart will rule the weak, and that’s not what democracy is about. You might believe the smart people’s intentions are good, but you cannot base a form on government on these kinds of beliefs.

Thirdly, you could wonder if ‘better’ voting will result in a better government, or increased quality of life or whatever. No matter how stupid a vote might be, the politician that got the vote should be capable to do his/her job just fine.

]]> by: patrick http://1000times1000.com/2007/04/19/how-to-change-the-voting-system/#comment-21224 Thu, 19 Apr 2007 13:14:05 +0000 http://1000times1000.com/2007/04/19/how-to-change-the-voting-system/#comment-21224 @Reinier I think your making a point here and I do agree with you that it would be a good thing to ask some simple and basic question about politics before you cast your votes. One problem with election is...that a lot of people do not vote at all! So, probably a mix between knowledge and letting more people vote would be the best of both worlds. Are you contacting the Dutch government about this.... :) @Reinier I think your making a point here and I do agree with you that it would be a good thing to ask some simple and basic question about politics before you cast your votes.
One problem with election is…that a lot of people do not vote at all! So, probably a mix between knowledge and letting more people vote would be the best of both worlds.
Are you contacting the Dutch government about this…. :)

]]> by: Reinier http://1000times1000.com/2007/04/19/how-to-change-the-voting-system/#comment-21223 Thu, 19 Apr 2007 12:35:02 +0000 http://1000times1000.com/2007/04/19/how-to-change-the-voting-system/#comment-21223 Why will this work? And why are votes from people who know how to reach many other people more valuable? They already have great power, so why give them more power? You said it yourself; the more you know about the thing you gonna vote for, the more value does your vote have. So why not test the voters before they vote? Aks them some simple questions, and if they answer it correctly they can vote. This way only people who know the business well can vote. I'd like to see this kind of stuff in the Dutch elections. Your vote only counts if you give the right answers to questions about the program of the party you just voted for. Why will this work? And why are votes from people who know how to reach many other people more valuable? They already have great power, so why give them more power?

You said it yourself; the more you know about the thing you gonna vote for, the more value does your vote have. So why not test the voters before they vote? Aks them some simple questions, and if they answer it correctly they can vote. This way only people who know the business well can vote.

I’d like to see this kind of stuff in the Dutch elections. Your vote only counts if you give the right answers to questions about the program of the party you just voted for.

]]> by: Gerard van Enk http://1000times1000.com/2007/04/19/how-to-change-the-voting-system/#comment-21214 Thu, 19 Apr 2007 04:56:53 +0000 http://1000times1000.com/2007/04/19/how-to-change-the-voting-system/#comment-21214 Interesting point of view about voting. I'm not sure whether it would be a good idea to implement this for the real world elections. But it sure is an interesting experiment for the kind of elections like the Next Web Awards and I'm curious about the figures after the voting (how many people tried to get extra voting 'power'). Interesting point of view about voting. I’m not sure whether it would be a good idea to implement this for the real world elections.
But it sure is an interesting experiment for the kind of elections like the Next Web Awards and I’m curious about the figures after the voting (how many people tried to get extra voting ‘power’).

]]>