A compulsory vote and blockchain tech
I have questioned whether voting should be compulsory for many years since coming to Finland because as an Australian, we are required to vote. It is not only part of our civic duty, it is a legal requirement.
The actual turnout is around 93 percent but still, in Finland it is around 62. Some say that it is undemocratic to have mandatory voting but perhaps it is more democratic as it means everyone (almost) does actually participate rather than becoming complacent.
I just got back from the gym, I didn't want to go tonight. I was tired. But, I dragged myself up, got dressed in some spandex, drove to the gym and once there, worked out.
I think that voting has the same process, even though one may not like to do it yet once there, one does. The compulsory part of it gets people there but how you vote is obviously not identifiable so if you do want to exercise your right not to vote, you can draw a smiley face or write in Bugs Bunny if you want. The only actual compulsory part is to turn up and get your name crossed off the list.
Why I think it should probably be compulsory is because of those that get excluded. During the last US presidential election there were allegations that one party used social media advertising in an attempt to get them not to vote.
There were also (and generally is) allegations that the polling stations are unfairly distributed and thoose in poorer communities have to wait hours to vote. On a Tuesday. A workday. So, the people that are probably less likely to be able to afford to take time off work, must line up for hours on a work day. The same people when asked are also the ones that are more likely to say that their vote doesn't really matter.
This makes me wonder if there is more to it. Generally, I think people will agree that those in government are likely the more affluent of the community. It is also likely that people will agree that the poorer of the community are probably less likely to like their current position. It seems to me that the powerful stay at the top because the powerful vote and the ones that can actually change the situation, think their voice doesn't matter. This to me screams of social engineering.
In Finland, the typical profile of a non-voter includes, young, unemployed, lower educated, lower income types who are also the ones that are probably in the most need of change. The young non-voter is going to have to live in this world for years to come but is leaving all of the foundational work to rich, old people. This seems risky. Would you let your parents choose your next computer, clothes, phone?
An obvious problem is still the wait times and unfairness of polling stations etc. Ummm, why is this a problem? Don't we have a solution here? Aren't I posting to one now?
Is it possible for me on the Steem blockchain to double vote using my voting key? I don't think so. So, if everyone had a blockchain voting key to use for let's say an app or website there chances of duplication and cheating are very slim. Plus, no more stupid vote count programs and 'numbers just in' to tantalise the easily amused.
It all becomes relatively instant, available from anywhere and anytime, secure and absolutely trackable if there are any questions raised. They can even go to simultaneous verification methods to ensure security like bank keys (used in Finland at least) or something similar.
I don't understand in this day and age why voting is made to be (seem) so difficult. All solutions for online voting exist, the blockchain adds a level of security like no other and stops a whole lot of allegations and conspiracy talk.
For me, the only conspiracy seems to be why voting isn't a blockchain-based text message to my phon or a voting app. In a true democracy, the barriers to voting should be continually decreasing for maximum inclusion to most accurately represent the people. There should be very little variation of the height of the barriers at all, if any.
If anything should be trackable in this world, it should be voting for a president or prime minister. there should be no questions, no recounts, no bus loads of people being driven around. It should be secure and the results undeniable. Even without mandatory voting requirements, the sheer simplicity and accessibility of the system will increase the numbers significantly.
Can Steemit or another blockchain tech provide this? If one can, that would have to be one worth getting in early on as it would very fast become a globally accepted chain and purchased by the biggest spenders on the planet, governments.
This is not my area at all and there are plenty of people here that have either the blockchain knowledge or political knowledge to raise some questions, so if you think this is worth a little more thought by people more clever than myself, please share, tag them in the comments or ask them face to face.
I think part of the idea of the decentralised community is to build a fairer world in many different ways. I think that not only can we break away from the one percent authority, but we can help reshape systems to better fit the one hundred percent.
Yes or no? You can vote securely below, but it is not compulsory.
Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]
im mostly against mandatory voting as i feel it leads to a larger proportion of uneducated votes, since people who generally arent interested in researching will still want their vote to count towards something since they have to go even if they dont take voting seriously.
I also normally dont like the idea of electronic voting as it seems something potentially vulnerable to manipulation depending on integrity of the organization responsible.
That said, i really like your idea of having a blockchain to deal with the voting process since that would mean similar to transactions for other cryptocurrencies each vote would have to go through confirmation on one or more "voting miners" of sorts which would each have access to the source code since it would be in their own machines and not something only the government has access to, and having it all recorded on the blockchain would also mean it would be possible to check where the confirmations for the votes came from to potentially check the individual machines for manipulation.
From the little Ive learned about how blockchains work I certainly think its something that could be pulled off. Each citizen could be registered a login linked to their ID or something and they would register a password to vote through an online system or also have the option to use voting stations.
Yes, I think it will work in the future. On the steem chain would be nice.
When it comes to uneducated voters it may actually be better in some respects as it is like the idea of 'guess how many in the jar' where the more guesses the more accurate :) Seriously though, I don't meet many educated voters. They may research their choice, but generally not the alternatives to the same depth which means a lot of confirmation bias. It is not my area though but going on the shape of the world, it could probably do with a few experiments to get better results.