Comparative Politics in Compulsory Politics

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Compulsory Voting

Elections are held to elect representatives to the legislature, and head of state or government. Elections are considered to be democratic since it is not easy to manipulate people to choose a certain leader. Voting is a civil action of exercising democracy and a civility value in our society. They are important for political life changes and are a good way to change a regime for the better. Voting can be used to bring change as well as maintain the status quo since the process is an action of results, rather than a reaction to something except in a referendum. Voting is normally done through a secret box. Voting can be done to fill seats or in a referendum. Due to the complex nature of making decisions affecting the public, there is a need to have a few numbers of persons making decisions for the general public. The public cannot participate in deciding due to the large numbers, large resources required for decision-making through meetings and consultations.

A contemporary democracy idea is that elections must be representative and responsible to achieve their goals. Elections are considered legitimate in that the people decide upon who they are going to elect rather than having leaders imposed on them. In many electoral systems, leaders are bound to serve for several terms. Re-election to the same position or same regime depends on satisfactory performance of the previous session, or a new political spirit of bringing change (Henry 10).

In contemporary democracies, electoral systems are differentiated by the rules governing them. One of such systems is the compulsory voting system. Compulsory voting system requires citizens of a country who are eligible to vote, to register as voters and avail themselves to the polling areas or vote during Election Day. In such countries, voting is not considered as a civic responsibility but as a duty. This may be regulated in the constitution and electoral regulations. In some countries sanctions and punitive measures such as imprisonment, community service or fines are imposed to absent voters (Mueller 72). A country may have compulsory voting laws but it may also fail or become reluctant in enforcing them. Some of these laws are put in place to state the citizens’ responsibilities; this is common to those laws without sanctions on them. Countries enforcing such laws prove it difficult due to the finances involved and the complex nature surrounding it. Such countries may be experiencing financial constrain and have more pressing priorities in their budget such as healthcare, education and reduction of poverty. To such, compulsory voting laws serve the intention of cheering the voters to take part. In some instances, loopholes within these electoral laws permit voters to escape punishment for noncompliance. It may be compulsory to vote but not compulsory to register as a voter. Many people who feel tied up in adhering to the law may opt to abstain from registering as voters (Baston and Ritchie 36).

In Australia, compulsory voting laws are effectively enforced. It is compulsory for persons aged 18 years and over to register as a voter. Elections are normally held on Saturdays, and a voter away from their electoral area can vote anywhere in the country. A voter in far and remote areas can vote early, even through electronic voting. The enforcement is rather lenient since it requires one who misses voting to give an explanation that is valid and sufficient. Valid explanations range from physical obstruction through accidents, sickness or natural events. When voters fail to gratify the authorities, they are subjected to a fine. Other than fine, one can be subjected to appearing in court or criminal sanctions. Persons who are abroad are exempted. On average, voter turnouts in Australia have been around 95% of the registered voters. Australia has received a lot of criticism regarding the voting system because implementation of it consumes a lot of resources in administrative personnel (Mackerras & McAllister 225).

The system works better in Canton of Schaffhausen in Swiss. It is characterized with small fines with a broad list of reasons for voting absence. Official exemptions include being a senior, that is, over 65 year, absence on a military or civil service duty, one’s sickness or of a close relative, eight day morning time and a holiday (Alan 185). This administrative unit has an efficient follow-up system that consumes small resources. The police do follow-up by going from home to home inspecting the marked voters’ cards.

In Belgium, abstaining from voting attracts progressive fines. They increase with the number of times one misses voting. Fist timers are fined 25 to 50 euros, 50 to 125 euros for second timers. Fourth timers are liable to an offense. It becomes hard for one to secure employment in the public service if one is not a registered voter. Additional reasons for exemptions have been witnessed including one being overseas. The system has been affected by factors such as lack of adequate judicial resources to handle electoral absenteeism cases, thereby making suit less probable. The provision of ballot boxes has been enhanced through improved transportation (Lever 63).

In Cyprus and Luxembourg, there has been no enforcement evidence though the fines are hefty. Fines are approximately 342 and 1000 euros respectively. Both countries experience handles in implementing the laws. In Cyprus, the law was changed transferring the collection of fines from the courts to direct collection. Despite the heavy fines, voter turnout is around eighty-five percent (Birch 18).

Compulsory voting has cost-saving benefits to the politicians. Politicians will spend less convincing their supporters to turn up during the voting day. They instead concentrate on campaigning about their party’s manifesto. Campaigns are focused on those going to vote rather than those who are likely to miss the voting exercise (Danièle 243).

Compulsory voting ensures all classes of people vote. Unlike voluntary systems where the wealthy are likely to vote, this system ensures both the rich and poor vote. The effects of bad weather and transport problems are not reflected in the poll results. Again, since all people contribute to the government, they in turn are compelled to vote in deciding who runs their government. It is considered as a civic duty just as people engage in other civic duties like education, environmental conservation, and taxation.

Compulsory voting provides a platform for voters to make wide consultations among themselves to make appropriate choices. This encourages the formation of communities that can bargain for a particular policy affected in their electoral areas. The system is transparent since it uses a secret ballot.

Since previously voting was discriminatory, some people struggled to be allowed to vote. It, therefore, falls that it’s obligatory to vote. Discriminatory systems are not representative enough; therefore, compulsory voting systems to some high degree show precise decisions of the voters. The system shows an elected government to come out legitimately since it is elected by majority of the people (Danièle 243).

However, it is unfair to make voting compulsory since some people may not be interested in politics. This in turn may result to good leaders who failed to push for elimination of compulsory voting getting voted out. By making voting mandatory, votes of those who vote in a random manner or are not interested in politics may have a negative effect to the votes of politics interested voters. The number of spoilt votes is high thereby, rendering the process a means of wasting resources.

The mandate to convince voters to exercise compulsory voting should not be carried out by the government, but should be left to the politicians and those interested in politics. Chong & Olivera (2008) indicated that a lot of resources channeled towards enforcing electoral laws by checking validity of the reasons given could be used in other sector of economy like poverty eradication (395).

Making voting compulsory derives away peoples right of choice; the right is violated to those willing not to vote. People are not at liberty to decide on what to do. Some people with religious beliefs opposing politics, for instance the followers of Jehovah Witness, their righteous rights are infringed (Powell 182).

Compulsory voting does not integrate well with democratic governance. The mere act of voting does not constitute to democracy if the process is not free. Democracy advocates for free, fair and transparent electoral processes of which compulsory voting system does not achieve this. Some electoral systems can also be classified as competitively authoritarian. This is so because it is undemocratic to force people to do something against their will. Compulsory voting is not consistent with freedom associated with democracy. Democratic governance greatly follows the principle of majority rule. In countries where this voting system is adopted, majority of the people are for a voluntary system (Richard 240).

Finally, compulsory voting in the world is gaining some considerable unpopularity, because less than twenty five countries use the system. The system has received a lot of criticism from institution advocating for democracy, human right groups and civil societies since they consider it to be inconsistent with human right of liberty and freedom. The evidence of changes of compulsory voting laws regarding the allowable reason for absenteeism in voting exercise is a good indication that the law in the long term will receive disapproval by the citizens. In some countries, plans are underway to abolish the voting system and adopt voluntary voting system.

Works cited

Alan McRobie, “Elections and the Electoral System.” New Zealand Government and Politics, Ed. Raymond Miller. 3rd ed. Auckland: Oxford University Press, 2003.

Baston, Lewis and Ken, Ritchie. Turning out or turning off: an analysis of political disengagement and what can be done about it. London: Electoral Reform Society, 2004.

Birch, Sarah. Full Participation: a Comparative Study of Compulsory Voting. Tokyo: United Nations University Press, 2009.

Chong, Alberto and Mauricio Olivera. Does Compulsory Voting Help Equalize Incomes?. Economics and Politics 20.3 (2008): 391-415.

Danièle, Caramani. Comparative politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.

Henry, J. Abraham. Compulsory Voting. Washington: Public Affairs Press, 1955.

Lever, Annabelle, “A liberal defense of compulsory voting’: some reasons for Skepticism”, Politics 28. 1 (2008): 61-64.

Mackerras, Malcolm and Ian McAllister “Compulsory Voting, Party Stability and Electoral Advantage in Australia”, Electoral Studies 18 (1999): 217-33.

Mueller, Dennis C. Constitutional Democracy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Richard. S. Katz. Democracy and Elections. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997.

Powell, G. Bingham. Elections as instruments of democracy: Majoritarian and proportional visions. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2000.

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Comparative Politics in Compulsory Politics

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