Yes, Sue Ellen, voting is compulsory in Australia. When you go to the polling place, your name is taken, and marked off on an electoral list. After the election, the names of those who voted are checked against the master roll, and if you haven't voted, you get a letter asking you to explain why. If the excuse isn't a valid one, then you get fined.
Travelling (at least within Australia) is not an excuse for not voting. If its a Federal election (i.e., right across Australia), then you have to go into a polling place wherever you are and lodge an absentee vote. If its a state election only, (i.e., there won't be polling places in other states,) you have to arrange to lodge a postal vote before polling day. Ruth Budge (Sydney, Australia) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:I am taking part in some classes and salons on the philosopher-citizen as a decision maker and it came up that citizenship is a concept in flux: that it has different meanings in other states or countries and that it was taught so very differently in the past. I would love to hear from all of you, particularly those in different states and countries (I'm in California) about what citizenship means to you and what citizenship education you received in school at all or various levels. (It would then help to know ages.) For instance, I have heard but don't know if it is true or how it would be enforced, that it is illegal to not vote in Australia. Thanks, Sue Ellen To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace-chat [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Find local movie times and trailers on Yahoo! Movies. http://au.movies.yahoo.com To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace-chat [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
