Mentally retarded and voting

[bezdomni]

Are mentally retarded people allowed to vote in most countries?

Should they be?

[Amusing Scrotum]

Originally posted by SovietPants+--> (SovietPants)Are mentally retarded people allowed to vote in most countries?[/b]

Dunno. I think most countries bar people in psychiatric facilities from voting, but I'm not 100% on that. The following applies to Britain:


Originally posted by [email protected]
At a general election, the following cannot vote:

[....]

under common law, people with learning disabilities or a mental illness if, on polling day, they are incapable of making a reasoned judgement.


http://www.direct.gov.uk/RightsAndResponsi...4442&chk=tW2II/ (http://www.direct.gov.uk/RightsAndResponsibilities/RightsAndResponsibilitiesArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=10014442&chk=tW2II/)

Fuck knows what that actually means in practice. Because, to me anyway, that is rather unclear. How, for instance, do you determine what a "reasoned judgement" is? Beats me.


SovietPants
Should they be?

Yes. Providing they have the mental abilities to actually undertake the task of voting, I see no logical reason why they should be barred. In my opinion, if you have the ability to cast a vote, your vote should count.

[Sugar Hill Kevis]

Originally posted by Amusing [email protected] 8 2006, 02:57 AM
Fuck knows what that actually means in practice. Because, to me anyway, that is rather unclear. How, for instance, do you determine what a "reasoned judgement" is? Beats me.
probably if they're right wing or not..

[adz170]

Originally posted by Amusing Scrotum+Sep 8 2006, 02:57 AM--> (Amusing Scrotum @ Sep 8 2006, 02:57 AM)
Originally posted by SovietPants+--> (SovietPants)Are mentally retarded people allowed to vote in most countries?[/b]

Dunno. I think most countries bar people in psychiatric facilities from voting, but I'm not 100% on that. The following applies to Britain:


[email protected]
At a general election, the following cannot vote:

[....]


under common law, people with learning disabilities or a mental illness if, on polling day, they are incapable of making a reasoned judgement.



http://www.direct.gov.uk/RightsAndResponsi...4442&chk=tW2II/ (http://www.direct.gov.uk/RightsAndResponsibilities/RightsAndResponsibilitiesArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=10014442&chk=tW2II/)

Fuck knows what that actually means in practice. Because, to me anyway, that is rather unclear. How, for instance, do you determine what a "reasoned judgement" is? Beats me.


SovietPants
Should they be?

Yes. Providing they have the mental abilities to actually undertake the task of voting, I see no logical reason why they should be barred. In my opinion, if you have the ability to cast a vote, your vote should count. [/b]
isnt that pretty simple? , they will just have to be able to say why they are choosing the candidate which they choose and give some explanation to why .

[Sir Aunty Christ]

What exactly does "reasoned judgement" mean? I wonder if the majority of people who vote take the time to look at the issues and analyse each candidate's position? Are you making a reasoned judgement if you vote for a particular party because you think the leader of that party is "a decent fellow"?

I remember Frank Skinner (British comedian) saying once that he supported Labour because Jim Callaghan waved at him.

More seriously though, are you making a reasoned judgement if you aren't particularly interested in politics but vote for a particular party because your parents voted for that party?

[bloody_capitalist_sham]

Another thing, these days mentally retarded people are aware of the world around them but yet only make limited desisions in their enitire lives. Mostly about whether they want tea or coffee etc.

I think, under socialism, they should have a degree of democracy about where they are looked after.

If they can do jobs, even if they dont add value, and its just for a feeling on worthiness would also be important in a socialist society.

I think most mentally retarded people can understand concepts/ideas, and can make good choices when given the facts in a way they can understand.

[piet11111]

well i think that when someone desires to vote that he/she should be allowed to vote.
because i think that when someone is retarded to such an extent that they are uncapable to vote responsibly that they wont care about their right to vote or not anyway.

not too long ago someone who is catogorised as mentally challenged succesfully campaigned in the netherlands to change the constitution so that he and others like him are able to vote.
his only noticable handicap was that he had very poor control over his muscle's and as such had poor speech but for the rest he seemed very intelligent to me.

besides if we want to give voting rights based on ones ability to vote rationally and responsibly then the number of legal voters would be very small dont you think ?

[Pirate Utopian]

retared people should have the right to vote, but should recive unbiased help by people at the voting booth

[Tommie]

Does anybody else find the term "retarded" to be slightly offensive? Mentally challenged seems far more appropriate.

[bloody_capitalist_sham]

Mental Retardation is the accurate termanology.

Its not offensive and just a description of different levels of mental impairment.

[Tommie]

Accurate does not necessarily mean appropriate.