Influencing others' voting: unethical?

[SunriseChampion]

I just want to put this out there to see what other people think.

I'm fairly young (24) and find that most of my friends don't bother to vote in any elections. Those that don't, I usually ask them to do me a favour and go vote for my preferred candidate. I've done this in municipal, provincial, and federal elections as well as the recent plebiscite on reforming the electoral system in Ontario.

I've struggled with whether this is an inherently unethical act. I'm not sure and continue to ask my non-voting friends to cast these extra ballots on my behalf.

Is this even legal?

Anyway, wanted to get some opinions on this to see what others think and if anyone else does this.

 

[cacruden]

I just want to put this out there to see what other people think.

I'm fairly young (24) and find that most of my friends don't bother to vote in any elections. Those that don't, I usually ask them to do me a favour and go vote for my preferred candidate. I've done this in municipal, provincial, and federal elections as well as the recent plebiscite on reforming the electoral system in Ontario.

I've struggled with whether this is an inherently unethical act. I'm not sure and continue to ask my non-voting friends to cast these extra ballots on my behalf.

Is this even legal?

Anyway, wanted to get some opinions on this to see what others think and if anyone else does this.

It is unethical (but legal unless you offer something in return) -- one person, one vote. You should encourage people to vote - but vote for whoever they believe is the right person. Arguing in what you believe in is fine, but having people vote as a favour - is too close to the line.

 

[Second_in_pie]

I dunno, I don't think it's illegal. I know it's illegal to threaten people to vote for who you want. But if you just ask them and comply, they're free to say no or vote for who they wanted.

I think that it's better if they do what you described than just totally not participate. Whether it's unethical or not, I think if they don't care, why would it matter to them if they give you their vote? They shouldn't care about that (which I assume is why they do it,) but it highlights a big problem with the current system.
There are so many young people and immigrants that just don't bother to vote, and it creates a big inconsistency with the system. I imagine that if immigrants and young people voted as much as older people, we'd see a huge liberal majority right now, and probably for a large portion of the time. I'm trying to find a way to motivate more people to vote (most of my friends that can are doing it, but just to motivate the stragglers,) but I really don't know where the problem is. In your example, it seems like it's obviously not a matter of laziness, but just not caring.
I'd love it if everyone could participate in the democratic system, as it'd get a much bigger representation of what people want. Heck, it'd be nice if the voting age was lowered to 16, or maybe even totally abolished!

Actually, that brings me back to the original topic. I know the big argument why we shouldn't let children (especially under 14 or 16,) to vote is that they can easily be influenced by their parents to vote for their party. So I guess people don't like it, and in that sense it's technically not allowed by law (if you really extend it, but the logic is sound.) But again, whether that's the way things should happen or what steps could be taken to change that is a totally different question that requires more than my initial speculation.

 

[adma]

Don't vote for them. Is it unethical to say that?

 

[PukeGreen]

But... in a way, don't we all vote for a candidate based on information we hear about them, mostly from partisan ads or editorials intended to swing us around to vote for the candidate the author likes? It's only a matter of degrees if I choose to vote for Stephen Harper because I saw a TV commercial that said he was great, and I read an article in the National Post saying he was really swell, rather than choose to vote for him because my friend MTown said I should. Right?

Some of these concerns go back to the roots of democracy. Originally only male landowners could vote because it was thought that the poor would not be educated enough to do so sensibly. Later during the fight for women's suffrage the main argument by men opposed to it was that there was no point in allowing women to vote since they would all simply vote for whoever their husbands or fathers told them to. Plato was entirely opposed to democracy, and felt that only monarchs or a wealthy ruling class would have enough "expertise" to properly rule a country, and allowing the masses to have a say in politics was foolish.

Legally I think you can ask anyone to vote, and to vote for a certain candidate, but at the end of the day you have no idea what they do once they're in the booth. So long as you are not threatening violence or paying for votes with some sort of monetary or similar gift, I think this is just good old democracy at work.

By the way, don't vote for Stephen Harper.

 

[madmolecule]

It doesn't seem clearly unethical to me. It is hard to draw the line between this situation and one in which your friend says they don't feel informed enough to vote, and you then persuade them that X is the best candidate, and they then go and vote for X solely based on your opinion. If we assume that this situation is similar to yours, then in both cases, it seems more ethical that your friend goes and votes, than that they not bother to vote at all.

As an aside, assuming your friends told the truth and really did go and vote for your candidate, you must be quite a persuasive person!

 

[Northern Light]

Not only do I think its ethical, I think its all but obligatory.

Demographic studies show that those who arguably have the most at stake in elections: The poor, the young etc. vote the least.

Though overall voting rates in all age and demographic groups are falling.

While its entirely clear to any sensibly cynical person that voting does not make the complete or total difference some would like, irrespective of political/ideological persuasion, it certainly does make SOME difference.

And any difference that is important to you, your friends, family, co-workers or the broader society is worth expressing.

That some people are too cynical or indifferent or lazy or ill-informed to vote is sad; and certainly a situation crying out for remedy...

But in the interim it makes every bit of good sense to influence others as best you can (legally) to help bring your view to the fore; needless to say, your political opponents will never be so kind as to step aside in their desire to influence the electorate.

I am the 'informed'; 'passionate observer' in my group of friends and family; and most actually come to ask me during elections what I think; though I don't exactly hide it for the less enthusiastic!

I think its a great thing that you have an opinion, hopefully based on fact, research, and substance; and invariably,as long as your opinion is identical to mine, you should spread it far and wide!

LOL

Though, if not, we really need to talk more so I can instill better political instincts in you!

 

[cacruden]

The arrogance here is absolutely astounding.

The original premise was not arguing a point, or encouraging people to vote - but basically giving that vote to another person as a favour. As if one person (who now has 2 votes) is more qualified than other people. Why not just allow someone to be giving their "voting card" and take all the voting cards and voting multiple times? Not much difference IMHO. I will argue with people why I think one is better than an other, but above all else I encourage people to go out and vote - even if they are voting for the less objectionable candidate.

 

[TOinTO]

It's not unethical to ask someone to vote the way you want.
It is unethical, and probably illegal, to offer anything in exchange for their cooperation. So, be careful about using the word 'favour' in this context. If they expect any payback, you may be crossing the line.

However, I think your friends are behaving unethically when they vote the way you instruct them. Casting your vote without any thought for the consequences, simply following instructions from someone else, is an unethical way to behave in a democracy.

 

[MetroMan]

It happens ALL THE TIME. Very often, the more politically inclined person in the household instructs the non-saavy on who do vote for.

This is just one example of many I've observed: My ex girlfriend's dad is very conservative, her mom has no knowledge of platforms or the functioning of the political system and my girlfriend is simply disinterested.

When voting day comes, they all get in the car and go vote. Who does my ex and her mom vote for? Ask dad of course.

When we started dating, my girlfriend became interested in politics because I was so into it and when she discovered what she was supporting she was appalled at having voted against her beliefs, philosophies and hopes. Getting to know her, I found that she was very left of centre and she had been voting for the Conservatives since she was of age.

This situation is all too common.

The solution is to make politics interesting. Make the issues ones that are close to all demographics and have interesting and charismatic leaders. Obama did exactly that in the 08 Election and he managed to get the young, the poor and the disenfranchised engaged in politics -- even though they wouldn't use that word: they'd say they're engaged in a cause.

 

[SunriseChampion]

Perhaps I shouldn't have used "favour" as the term applying to my situation.

It's more along these lines: a large portion of my friends don't bother to vote. I tell them that if they're not going to inform themselves and vote in accordence with their beliefs that they should vote for who I want to be elected.

I always, always, always, try to inform them of their choices and convince them to get informed and go out and vote for who they want first! That failing....."alright, vote for X candidate then....pleeeaaaase."

It's not about being persuasive, it's about being well-liked and having indifferent friends, really.

Thanks all for the input.

PS: Most of my friends' ideologies are rather closely aligned with mine and so it's not much of a stretch in most situations to have them voting for my preferred candidates.

PPS: My candidates NEVER win anyway.

 

[SunriseChampion]

The arrogance here is absolutely astounding.

The original premise was not arguing a point, or encouraging people to vote - but basically giving that vote to another person as a favour. As if one person (who now has 2 votes) is more qualified than other people. Why not just allow someone to be giving their "voting card" and take all the voting cards and voting multiple times? Not much difference IMHO.

Yeah, I kind of saw it as being like this as well which is why it's been somewhat bothering me for a while now.

 

[Brandon716]

There is nothing unethical and certainly nothing illegal about asking friends to support your preferred positions and candidates. Its the bedrock of political activism, and without it we wouldn't have democracy.

 

[nfitz]

Given that the act of asking a friend to vote for someone you support could quite likely politicize them ... and get them to vote (perhaps not the way you like at all), perhaps it would be unethical to not ask them!

 

[doady]

If people want to give up their vote to someone else, that is their choice. There is nothing unethical here.