Voting Festivals Could Spark Meaningful Voter Involvement

   President Obama has suggested mandatory voting, and Oregon has passed legislation making everyone a registered voter unless they opt out.
   If the idea is to connect more people to the election process, both ideas will get more people there. But, neither idea brings people to the polls more educated. Getting voters to vote doesn't mean much if they don't know what they are voting for.
   You might as well give them all a stick of bubble gum and ask them to blow a bubble when they get to the polls. That is as meaningful as having them look down a list of candidates they know nothing about. If they aren't informed, it's just an exercise.
   A better idea, one that will help educate them? I like the idea of making election day a holiday, and hosting voter festivals, where the voters meet the candidates, hear the issues, join in the festivities, and then vote. President Obama suggested mandatory voting would curb the influence of money. I'm not so sure it would. But, this would. The candidates would be right there, front and center, giving their speeches, talking to voters, and the voters would be influenced by this regardless how much money the candidates had previously spent.