Link To Article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx20gy2lz4go
The article illustrates a compulsory voting system that Australia has had since 1924. Everyone over the age of 18 is required to vote in a federal election, and noncompliance can result in a A$20 fine. It promotes high voter turnout, with turn-out over 90% in the 2022 federal election – quite a contrast to United Kingdom and the United States. Voting has many opportunities to get involved and vote with polling on a Saturday, providing paid leave for workers, and hosting events like ‘democracy sausages’ at local schools or sporting clubs on the day of the polling. The compulsory voting practice is supported by most Australians, and supports the ensures diversity, representation and a reduction on political extremes.
The compulsory voting approach utilized by Australia ensures voter participation that leads to inclusive governance. Contrasting with democracies like the US and the UK that have voter turnout of less than 50% on average since civil rights, it is reasonable to say that compulsory voting will force political candidates to be considerate of socioeconomic groups, leading to inclusive legislation. Compulsory voting encourages all bias as marginal voting will encourage moderate voting, helping democracy to lessen extremism. It can also lead to consideration of “pork-barrelling” behaviour, meaning that politicians will focus on people who are hard to convince by promising government projects to marginal voters. Overall, the approach outlined in the Australia example shows how voters are held responsible legally which coaxes further democratic legitimacy into the civic responsibility of voting all under a compulsory voting law.
From Australia’s view, the government is attempting to keep a socially fair democracy; having compulsory voting is there for broad demographic representation to ensure upright legitimacy of elected officials. The political Parties will really have to consider and communicate with more voter groups and the broad implications of electing a candidate, because it will force the vocabulary to broader human reach in their campaigns. Australian Citizens generally accept compulsory voting, with around 70% supporting the law, reflecting trust in the system’s fairness and inclusiveness. International Observers often regard Australia’s high voter turnout as a model for increasing civic participation and promoting democratic stability, seeing it as a successful approach to fostering greater engagement in the electoral process.
Australia’s compulsory voting system ties directly into International Law & Human Rights, specifically regarding political rights and democratic representation. Compulsory voting ensures that the right to participate in government—outlined in Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—is exercised by the vast majority of citizens. It also raises questions about the balance between individual freedoms and collective responsibilities in democratic governance, highlighting debates about state-imposed civic duties versus voluntary participation in political processes.