Not that politicians follow through with the good stuff. With this, when the Prime Minister is chosen, it won't be as fair because of the lack of people. This should also mean more pressure on politicians to represent the beliefs of all citizens. Dionne, Jr On 9/27/15 at 4:10 PM EDT . While compulsory voting may mask the symptoms, it isnt a cure for the disease. People should have the option to refuse to participate in the system if they choose. An empty vote is feedback in itself. Many people who choose not to do so because they feel their vote is powerless. The concept of citizenship is often thought of as a form of political membership that binds an individual to a sovereign state. The real problem is members of the public not wanting to vote. Also, I dislike covering up the actual problem. Voting should be compulsory because if majority of the country don't vote, then the people who do vote might only be 50% or less. Australia forced its compulsory voting (CV) laws on its citizens in government elections was quite early in its history. To arrest the hollowing-out of democracy, voting should be made a civic duty for first-time voters, with compulsory attendance at the ballot box. Some may choose not to vote deliberately, as a political act- this choice would no longer be possible One of the possible solutions is introducing the mandatory voting, where every voter is forced to participate in the elections. Lastly, if democracy is government by the people, presumably this includes all people, then it is every citizen's responsibility to elect their representatives. If one fails to vote due to any reason, then there is a little fine for those who dont participate. It would be transformative if everybody voted that would counteract money more than anything. Barack Obama. of coMpulSory Voting ruleS on candidateS political platforMS Brennan, not only voting should be voluntary, but it should also be discouraged: The median voter is incompetent at politics. If we force everyone to vote, the electorate It would be transformative if everybody voted, Mr Obama said. Therefore, voting in elections should be compulsory in Germany as a way to increase voter turnout and to raise overall political awareness. Reasons why voting should not be made compulsory include: It could be argued to be an abuse of freedom- the removal of the choice not to vote. RE: Voting should be made compulsory -Deepa Kaushik (05/04/14) Voting should be made compulsory. Compulsory voting violates civil liberties The government and politicians serve the people, not the other way around. Compulsory voting encourages politicians to be less extreme in the policies they propose. If people have no interest in voting for any parties they can leave their vote blank. Published 22 May 2014. Voting should be compulsory. If it is guaranteed that everyone will vote, then politicians would stop creating campaigns that are only targeted to certain people. Should voting be made compulsory? Supporters of compulsory voting say that would force politicians to address broader concerns, rather than appealing to narrow bases. This doesnt compel you to vote for a political party there would be a none of the above option. Image: Huffington Post. But as Chapman cautions, compulsory voting should not be seen as a one-stop solution to solving problems in democracy. He might be Since compulsory voting was introduced to Australia in 1924, turnout has never dropped below 91 percent. Compulsory voting may decrease the cost of elections as well as mobilisation and political campaigns, and those resources can then be used on other issues. Compulsory voting would ensure the governing party has the majority of the country on its side, and better reflect the wishes of the people. It's a problem that motivated former US president Barack Obama in 2015 to raise the idea that voting should be compulsory. Compulsory voting is not a new concept as there are many countries like Belgium who introduced voting laws in 1892, Argentina in 1914 and Australia in 1924. Should voting be compulsory? Additionally, some proponents of the policy emphasize that under compulsory voting, voting becomes more a duty than a right. "If you look at the international experience, in non-compulsory voting systems, the people who don't vote are the poor and disenfranchised and those are exactly the people we think should be voting." The voter apathy in Canada in the 2004 federal elections was so high, that politicians are now searching for a method to increase the turnout. TL;DR: You can have free elections, or you can have forced elections. Voting can be considered a civic duty - so it should be followed; Encourages voters to become better informed about political issues; Arguments against Compulsory Voting: It is a violation of civil liberties - we should be free not to vote Liberalism, Democracy, and the Ethics of Voting This article summarises objections to compulsory voting developed in my previous work. To fulfil their civic duties as a Singaporeans. This percentage should be considered in comparison to the U.S., in which only 57% of eligible voters turned out in the 2012 presidential election. It would not guarantee increased awareness or education of the issues, and it could make politicians and parties lazier. Thats true in Australia. All the Yes points: In all democracies around the world voter apathy is highest among the poorest and most excluded sect A high turnout is important for a proper democratic mandate and the functioning of democracy. Mandatory voting would make elections truly valid. Should voting be compulsory? Till now, there are 32 countries with compulsory voting around the world. William A. Galston AND E.J. In some ways, not much really changes when voters are compelled to the polls. Political parties can derive financial benefits from compulsory voting, since they do not have to spend resources convincing the electorate that it should in general turn out to vote. Even if it is not a compulsion, it is the duty of every citizen of the country to cast their right to vote. voting should be made compulsory but it cannot be possible in todays format of election as we know large no of people live outside their hometown and not able to vote due to complexities in our voting system.A ground work should be done by the election commision before implementing it.One solution should be E-voting. Compulsory voting will assist in not targeting specific subgroups. Australia is one of at least twenty countries which compel their citizens to vote in Federal, State and most Local government elections. For those that dont have compulsory voting, the same is also true. The position adopted in this essay is that voting in elections should not be compulsory. For societies that have compulsory voting, most of the population tends to support the practice. Should voting in elections be compulsory? In th The right to vote in a democracy has been fought for throughout modern history. Should Compulsory Voting Be Instituted As a Ruling Standard? It motivates people to check what politicians are actually saying before they vote. Top Stories. Voting is a right, not a duty. It shows that compulsory turnout is harder to justify than compulsory voting and that considerations of democratic legitimacy do not usually justify it either. Padraic McGuinness makes a powerful point about how mandatory voting is violation of liberty: Why should voting be compulsory for these eligible voters? Compulsory voting, also called mandatory voting, is the requirement in some countries that eligible citizens register and vote in elections.Penalties might be imposed on those who fail to do so without a valid reason. Should Voting Be Compulsory? Contrary to the public belief that a legal obligation to vote is a rarity, compulsory voting has been used successfully in over twenty-five countries worldwide and for