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From: grunwald@uiuccsb.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: free elections, again - (nf)
Message-ID: <2813@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 13-Sep-83 22:32:21 EDT
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.2813
Posted: Tue Sep 13 22:32:21 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 14-Sep-83 17:52:29 EDT
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#R:ihuxm:-52200:uiuccsb:11000020:000:604
uiuccsb!grunwald    Sep 13 18:25:00 1983

  Another point of fact about such elections: Many countries, such as Guatamala
charge a fine (a very considerable one, to my understanding) to people who do
not go to the polling place. They do not have to actually vote, they just need
to go there.
  Thus, when you hear figures of >90% turnout, it might sound impressive,
especially when you consider the bad turnout in American elections. However,
the vote totals usually ignore the blank ballots, and the "turnout figures"
do not. Hence, one could have a massive turn out & have one candidate win
with 100% of the vote and only have one person vote.