Compulsory voting
In a few countries, such as
Australia and
Belgium, voting at elections is compulsory. This means people are obliged to attend the polling place (in countries with a secret ballot, it is impossible to tell whether a specific person has actually cast a valid vote or not). Approximately twenty countries around the world have some form of compulsory voting. Around half of these countries are in
Latin America, but most other regions of the world are represented as well. Countries that have some form of compulsory voting include:
The list of countries with compulsory voting may be incomplete, please add more
Countries that have ended compulsory voting include Austria and the Netherlands.
Arguments in favour of compulsory voting
There are a number of different approaches taken by people who support compulsory voting. The most common two approaches are:
- Compulsory voting ensures that government does indeed represent the will of the whole population, not merely the section of the population that decides to express their opinions. This ensures fairness, as well as making sure governments cannot neglect sections of society that are less politically active (in many countries, ethnic minorities and the poor are less likely to vote).
- Voting is a "civic duty" in the same way that paying taxes is - it is important for the continued functioning of the nation. People have to pay taxes for the good of society, and people should have to vote for the same reason.
Arguments against compulsory voting
Just as there are different arguments in favour of compulsory voting, there are different arguments against it. The most common claims are:
- People will be forced to vote even if they are not interested in politics, and have no real preference for (or knowledge about) any of the candidates. This means that if they are forced to vote, their vote will essentially be random, and not a real indication of their beliefs. (Some supporters of compulsory voting reply that this problem could be countered with compulsory political education).
- It is a violation of personal liberties - people should be free to decide for themselves.
- Considerable resources are wasted ensuring that everyone does indeed vote.
External link
Administration and Cost of Elections Project paper on compulsory voting considerations