this post was submitted on 18 May 2026
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Having some kind of extremely-low barrier, pre-declared multiple-choice test questions in order to gain ballot access is an idea I've played around with. Literally mail out a pamphlet with the questions and answers, drafted by the AEC and approved by as many candidates/parties as possible to prevent it being unneutral or propagandised. Objective things like "Which of these services does the federal government handle?" and "Which of these is the typical income of an average Australian?". And if, for whatever reason, you can't answer these simple questions, you aren't informed enough to help decide who represents us in our democratic system.
Relevant, but not quite the same: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistemic_democracy
Sorry, but I disagree.
I can guarantee you I don't know enough about the candidates in my electorate. And I purposely allocate and spend time looking at them before I go to vote. Also, my vote has probably never made any difference at all in who was elected.
Unless. Wait.....
Oh. I get it. Maybe I am one of those who don't deserve a vote.
If we make it a prerequisite to vote that ones need to be able to answer some extremely basic questions about the election they're voting in, all of those questions being given months ahead of time, along with all the answers, then (barring profound mental conditions) not qualifying to vote is a choice. If you're informed enough to know where the polling booth is, you're probably capable of passing that bar. Based on your reply, you'd pass with flying colours.
If someone is so apathetic that they don't know the absolute basic premise of a given election, what is the benefit of allowing them to vote in it?
Of course, and I didn't emphasise this enough, the system I'm proposing relies heavily on the ability for the election organisers, through tools such as the government and law, to empower every possible voter to understand the basic premise of the election. And in a sea of corporate-owned media (both traditional and online), this is easier said than done, but far from impossible.
I think everyone deserves to be given the tools they need to have real political power. That's demo-cracy.