Compulsory voting violates civil liberties — The government and politicians serve the people, not the other way around. If people have no interest in voting for any parties they can leave their vote blank. And she is realistic about hurdles to … Dunno why, I'm funny that way. TL;DR: You can have free elections, or you can have forced elections. Padraic McGuinness makes a powerful point about how mandatory voting is violation of liberty: Top Stories. Arguments against mandatory voting. But as Chapman cautions, compulsory voting should not be seen as a one-stop solution to solving problems in democracy. Liberalism, Democracy, and the Ethics of Voting This article summarises objections to compulsory voting developed in my previous work. Voting is a right, not a duty. 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. 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. Supporters of compulsory voting say that would force politicians to address broader concerns, rather than appealing to narrow bases. He might be … That’s true in Australia. Even if it is not a compulsion, it is the duty of every citizen of the country to cast their right to vote. Should voting be made compulsory? Many people who choose not to do so because they feel their vote is powerless. Till now, there are 32 countries with compulsory voting around the world. Compulsory voting would deliver a broader, more representative sample of voters. In th… The right to vote in a democracy has been fought for throughout modern history. Lastly, if democracy is government by the people, presumably this includes all people, then it is every citizen's responsibility to elect their representatives. William A. Galston AND E.J. It motivates people to check what politicians are actually saying before they vote. The concept of citizenship is often thought of as a form of political membership that binds an individual to a sovereign state. To fulfil their civic duties as a Singaporeans. Image: Huffington Post. But making voting compulsory is where we should start. Additionally, some proponents of the policy emphasize that under compulsory voting, voting becomes more a duty than a right. The real problem is members of the public not wanting to vote. If it is guaranteed that everyone will vote, then politicians would stop creating campaigns that are only targeted to certain people. Compulsory voting encourages politicians to be less extreme in the policies they propose. 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 … 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. An empty vote is feedback in itself. Most advocates for compulsory voting tend to look to Australia, where voting has been mandatory since 1924.Because every Australian over 18 must participate, the voting process is made quite easy; voter registration can be completed online, Election Day is on a Saturday, and voters can vote at whatever polling site in their state or territory they choose. 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. If one fails to vote due to any reason, then there is a little fine for those who don’t participate. Opponents of mandatory voting also often claim that fines related to the violation of the compulsory voting principle are not justifiable at all since people should be free in their decision whether they want to vote or not and should not get fined for insisting on their human right for freedom of choice. It would not guarantee increased awareness or education of the issues, and it could make politicians and parties lazier. 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. 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. Australia forced its compulsory voting (CV) laws on its citizens in government elections was quite early in its history. The citizens who abstain are, on average, even more incompetent. ‘Compulsory voting’, on his view, should therefore be understood as ‘compulsory turnout’ – as it was practiced in the Netherlands between 1917 and 1967 (Gratschew 2004). 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. 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 "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." Dionne, Jr On 9/27/15 at 4:10 PM EDT . Working-class citizens were underrepresented in Australian elections before compulsory voting, but when different states implemented the policy between 1914 and 1941, election results and public policies shifted in their favour. Also, I dislike covering up the actual problem. Voting is compulsory where I live too. RE: Voting should be made compulsory -Deepa Kaushik (05/04/14) Voting should be made compulsory. For those that don’t have compulsory voting, the same is also true. Posted in Uncategorized, Views Tagged Caitlin Tilley, mandatory voting, politics, voting, voting system One of the possible solutions is introducing the mandatory voting, where every voter is forced to participate in the elections. 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. This doesn’t compel you to vote for a political party – there would be a ‘none of the above’ option. Voting should be compulsory. Myanmar teachers join growing anti-coup protests. Australia is one of at least twenty countries which compel their citizens to vote in Federal, State and most Local government elections. Should voting in elections be compulsory? Voting should be compulsory. Compulsory voting will assist in not targeting specific subgroups. Should voting be compulsory? Published 22 May 2014. Some may choose not to vote deliberately, as a political act- this choice would no longer be possible Why should voting be compulsory for these eligible voters? There will be many objections to compulsory voting. Since compulsory voting was introduced to Australia in 1924, turnout has never dropped below 91 percent. Should voting be compulsory? People should have the option to refuse to participate in the system if they choose. Compulsory voting would ensure the governing party has the majority of the country on its side, and better reflect the wishes of the people. Many will feel that they should have the right to not vote. It shows that compulsory turnout is harder to justify than compulsory voting and that considerations of democratic legitimacy do not usually justify it either. Citizens should not be obligated, by force of law and against their will, to participate in a electoral system. For societies that have compulsory voting, most of the population tends to support the practice. If we force everyone to vote, the electorate 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. 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. This should also mean more pressure on politicians to represent the beliefs of all citizens. With this, when the Prime Minister is chosen, it won't be as fair because of the lack of people. 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. Not that politicians follow through with the good stuff. While compulsory voting may mask the symptoms, it isn’t a cure for the disease. “Protecting the integrity of our elections” is the rationale Republicans give for the cynically restrictive voter ID laws they’ve enacted in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. It's a problem that motivated former US president Barack Obama in 2015 to raise the idea that voting should be compulsory. 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. “It would be transformative if everybody voted – that would counteract money more than anything.” Barack Obama. Therefore, voting in elections should be compulsory in Germany as a way to increase voter turnout and to raise overall political awareness. “It would be transformative if everybody voted,” Mr Obama said. Should Compulsory Voting Be Instituted As a Ruling Standard? The position adopted in this essay is that voting in elections should not be compulsory. Pick one.