Re:Tell HN: Please Vote
by andrewinardeer on Tuesday November 03, 2026 @12:38PM
(#50355232)
Countries in which voting is voluntary tend to have more extreme left- or right-wing governments because countries which have compulsory voting tend to be generally more centralist.
You are referring to rigged elections. It is proven 78% voter turnout is falsified.
https://rima.media/en/document/02w3bnLISYbKga8VJRNYHa-2024-0...
Re:Tell HN: Please Vote
by karmakurtisaani on Tuesday November 03, 2026 @01:14PM
(#50355831)
Ah, HN pedantry. "The thing you said is perfectly correct in the context you meant and everyone understood, but technically..."
I disagree.
In Russia in 2024, Vladimir Putin got 87% of the vote, with 78% reported voter turnout, far higher than in any US election.
Do you think that signals that Russian citizens value democracy and want to keep the current process, where Putin invariably wins by a landslide?
I'm not saying that people shouldn't get out and vote if they feel so moved. But voter turnout isn't intrinsically good or bad, nor does it signal a healthy democracy.
What DOES signal a healthy democracy?
- Meaningful electoral choice, including the choice of minor-party candidates. Ranked-choice voting can help here.
- Non-gerrymandered districts.
- Electoral competitiveness, where incumbents and established parties can realistically lose power.
- Accountability of elected officials.
- Integrity of the electoral process.
- Peaceful transfer of power.