How can elections be made
more democratic than they are now?
First the English barons won their parliamentary vote
with Magna Carta in 1512, then the rich and middle-classes. Manhood
suffrage was won in the 19th century, votes for women in the early
20th century and later still, for aborigines.
The battle is now to
make the voting fair and not a travesty.
30 Votes for More
Democratic Elections
- Voting for key policies as well as for
candidates is now electronically and economically feasible. This
would cut the silly business of parties claiming a mandate for
policies just because the party was voted in.
- Major political parties could put up two candidates for the
same seat, as in USA . These alternative candidates will give
voters a real choice between policies and positions, cut
pre-selection infighting and give more chance to new blood. On the
same leaflet, two candidates can both appear, with their common
platform, and a note by each on their differing stand. With
preferential voting, a party loses no votes by this reform.
- Ensuring voters are informed. In my Dream Elections,
politicians and the media ensure that the public can know all the
policies on all the important issues that will be facing government,
with information on all the candidates and their chief policies, how
much the costs are, and who are paying for them. It is news-worthy
beyond most 'news'. It should take up as much space as the sports
pages. Elections and government should rival olympic games in
fascinated interest for all citizens.
- Cost. It is scandalous that political parties should
spend millions each on elections. This adds to injustices,
beholdingnesses, waste of human effort and materials, so that the
election is unfair - on top of the costs to the taxpayer to run the
election. We cannot afford this waste. The result of all that money
does not give voters a clear idea of the policies of all parties, nor
a chance to assess the candidates. The websites help those with
access but not those without. This situation can be changed.
- Electorates not gerrymandered. Proportional voting for
Upper House.
- No political advertising on TV. This will save an
enormous amount of campaign money and consequent gratitude debt to
the big funders. Instead, there will be debates on all major issues
by the major parties with the minor parties also getting an oar in.
These can be sponsored by advertisers. To catch every citizen,
'teasers' from the debates can be played in advertising time. That
will put 'em on their mettle.
- Cost of elections can be then cut, since information is
not provided by paid media advertising. Letterboxing gives voters
info in their hands. .
- Fairer ballot papers. Voters should be allowed to mark
ballot papers consecutively from 1 onward only up to the point they
wish, without being classed as informal. They should not have to be
pushed into the simple block vote unless they want to. They can be
warned that if all their preferences fail to score, their vote will
be lost as it will transfer nowhere else, but voters may wish this.
- Elections are timed to avoid major diversions. No
election campaign is ever held during major sporting events, shows,
or student exams.
- The electoral commission runs a web page, with links to
all parties and independents and their policies, and has its own
links summary pages on issues, for comparisons, and an ongoing
debates page specifically for all claims, counterclaims, and a page
for corrections of misinformation in the media, regardless of its
source.
- All political candidates' web pages are listed in the
papers and on tv. If they are barmy - then all the more debate is
needed and possible.
- The media presents election information under two headings
- trivial pursuits and serious pursuits. The trivial pursuits
include all leader personality cults, gossip, funny events; the
serious pursuits are about policies, past records, future problems,
relevant information about all candidates.
- The open record of the previous government includes a
summary of the legislation it has passed, the income it has made from
selling off public assets, what were the costs of selling off the
assets and who profited from these costs, how much total foreign debt
has increased by government sales (profits, interest and more private
debt pays higher interest) and what benefits government actions have
given to the major funders of its political party. A brief summary of
the record of the opposition when in government is also in order, but
must take more account of findings of royal commissions than of the
other party's sledging.
- The parliamentary record of the other parties and
independents can also be published. Print media will set this out
in a consistent place and layout so that voters can collect and refer
back to it when preparing to vote.
- The media can set up definitions of terms, and ask
candidates to explain what they mean by 'growth', and what sort of
jobs they plan. Pictures do not focus heavily on leaders, as if we
were already a dictatorship. Journalists win awards for clarity ,
good style and points are deducted for putting a spin on it.
- No polling of voters' intentions. Every interviewer
who asks anyone who they think will win is fined $100 on the spot.
This leaves a fantastic amount of money , space and time to spend on
important issues and increases excitement and prevents Push Polling.
- Open-ended surveys concentrate on what voters want and
what they do not want - more useful to everyone. No push-polling .
- The media keeps a running record of promises, like a
batting list,. Afterwards this promise list is periodically reviewed.
- Winning government candidates may have to put up a
bond, on their election, to be paid back or not as the promise is
kept - or not.
- Any claim made by one party against another gives an
automatic right of reply.
- Peaceful freedom of speech in public places during
elections is not prevented.
- Lies do not lie down however much they are nailed down, so
the media should surely have a responsibility to set out the facts
when lies are repeated.
- No waste of paper in how to vote cards. Many solutions
are possible.
- Outside each polling station, accessible newsprint posters
carry postcards of each candidates' policies, photos and record,
for voters to consult.
- Taxpayers and government costs. The party in power
cannot put any advertising material on a government-funded website,
even under the guise of 'press-releases', and 'government'
letterhead, funding and helicopters cannot be used to send out pr
info for 8 weeks before an election.
- Sitting MPS wilfully resigning for self-interest pay for
the by-elections they cause.
- Finally each election is scored out of 10 for how
close it comes to my Dream Election.
- That's for a start. Australian elections could become a
popular international tourist attraction, and a highlight of
people's lives. Let us regard this as an olympic event.
- Everyone can start improving on these ideas.
- There is more. .
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