In Nevil Shute’s novel, “In the Wet”, he describes a fictional multiple vote system enacted in Australia at a future date.
Here is a description of that system from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Wet
“Perhaps the most interesting, and enduring, feature of the book is the “multiple vote”, seen as a necessary reform of democracy. A person can have up to seven votes. Everyone gets a basic vote. Other votes can be earned for education (including a commission in the armed forces), earning one’s living overseas for two years, raising two children to the age of 14 without divorcing, being an official of a Christian church, or having a high earned income [actually, IIRC, it was for starting a profitable business that employed others]. The seventh vote, which in the book is awarded to Nigger [note: this is the nickname proudly worn by the lead character, a Quadroon {1/4 Aboriginal, 3/4 white}] for his heroism, is only given at the Queen’s discretion by Royal Charter.
Interesting concept!
1. Net taxpayers - i.e. people who directly contribute more to the operation of the government than they receive from it. Essentially, if you pay taxes, you get a vote in how that money is to be spent.
2. Honorably discharged/retired and currently serving active duty service members. If you are, or have been willing to put your life on the line, you get a vote.
3. Real property owners. If you own a chunk of the nation, you get a say in how it's governed.
Admittedly, it's a pretty low bar, and a lot of people would fall into two or three of the categories, but I also think, just by excluding those who produce and contribute nothing, we'd see vastly different election results than what we currently do.