I have long advocated an electoral system that requires a minimum level of qualification. The great and the good have always countered that such a system would be undemocratic and even raising the subject bordered on fascism. So it is with a sense of sweet irony that I read this article in the Guardian, written by none other than a black lady from Zambia, (formerly Northern Rhodesia) in which she extols the benefits of a qualified vote. Has she really forgotten what Rhodesia was all about? Anybody from any race was able to vote, provided they met certain qualifications. Whether those qualifications were too rigorous is a moot point, but the principle remains. And that, hopefully, is the thin end of a wedge which for one will certainly welcome.
Boadicea's Chariot 
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Sorry about that and thanks. I trust this link is ok.
I could not agree more. Universal enfranchisement has certainly not been an unqualified success in the UK! I also find it absolutely shocking that people are able to register to vote without proving their eligibility to do so. I much prefer the system here, on arrival at a new location, to get onto the electoral roll, one has to present oneself at the town hall with all sorts of proof of identity. Needless to say as a foreigner with a British passport I am not eligible. So be it.
I do not think it unreasonable that people should have a minimum IQ and reasonable working knowledge of the country before they get to help choose what the rest of us have to live with.
One huge bitch I have in the USA, third party pressure groups are allowed to spend as much as they want on advertising, generally against others to support candidates. Quite wrong, a disgusting waste of money, promulgation of lies and encourages rampant and irrational partisanship. The UK is much wiser in limiting money that can be spent inundating the general public with crap. Most just do not turn on the TV, long live the box set!
Unfortunately I do not see any kind of testing happening, the political parties everywhere are too entrenched in maintaining their ‘fodder’ sheeple electorate.
Cheers Sipu – that’s better! 👍
Don’t despair CO. This motivation is coming from an impeccable source; an African female. As such, it can be freely debated with out fear of retribution and perhaps its merits will be recognised by the bien-pensants.
It would be difficult to set a level of knowledge that would not be judged discriminatory by the usual whiners. But certainly British citizenship and a good knowledge of English should be mandatory. In France we were not allowed to vote in national elections, being foreigners. As payers of local taxes, however, we were eligible to vote in local elections if we registered to do so.
Interesting sheona, it is like that in some parts of the US, local elections only. But that is state law and not currently available in this neck of the woods. It can be very confusing that there are so many variations here when state law rather than federal law holds sway.
I gather from the papers this morning that proof of ID is being trialed in the UK. But how inept to have it done at the polling stations and hold up the queues rather than pre-registration at leisure. About time there were photo ID identification cards!
Sorry to be cynical, Christina, but pre-registration is open to abuse too.
Very difficult here the amount of paperwork you have to supply.