Greece’s Conservatives have retained their lead in the latest general elections. But how many people are aware that it is one of 32 countries in the world where voting is compulsory?
Even in the fire-ravaged villages of southern Greece, where many homes remain without water or electricity, prefabricated containers were used as temporary voting centres. Despite the loss of homes, voters were still expected to perform their democratic duty.
Here in the UK, voters struggle to turn out at general elections . In African states, I have read of villagers walking for two days to vote. But how can we persuade our citizens to go to their ballot box? I think they want to have more belief in the leaders who want to represent them, they need to feel engaged, that a new party will really make a difference to their lives – for the better. We should allow citizens to choose whether or not to vote, and leaders are having to work much harder to convince an increasingly cynical electorate.
There does not seem to be strict enforcement of the compulsory voting legislation, though goods and services provided by public offices may be denied to those failing to vote in Greece.
Countries that enforce compulsory voting are:
- Argentina
- Australia (compulsory enrolment and voting for both state* and national elections)
- Belgium
- Brazil (non-compulsory for 16 & 17 year olds and those over 70)
- Chile (enrollment voluntary)
- Cyprus
- Ecuador
- Fiji
- Greece
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
- Mexico
- Nauru
- Peru
- Singapore
- Switzerland (Schaffhausen)
- Uruguay
*In South Australia it is not compulsory to enroll. Nevertheless as the form to enroll is a combined Federal and State one, with no provision to not enroll for the State, it is practically compulsory.
Countries that do not enforce compulsory voting:
- Bolivia
- Costa Rica
- Dominican Republic
- Egypt (men only)
- France (Senate elections only)
- Gabon
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Italy
- Paraguay
- Philippines
- Thailand
Ellee off topic I know…. but have you got live writer working now…??
Hmmm don’t know
the government which tries to introduce or enforce compulsory voting could lose the vote.
A bit like poll tax.
However conservatives are already supposed to be good at getting the troops out and organising school runs to the polling booth.
Hi Sally, no, not yet, I spoke to Tim Almond and he helped me to write a post via WordPress. I’m also going to speak to Wardman Wired, he very kindly offered some advice too. This is why I love blogging, so many kind people offer their assistance when you need it.
PS – So what about Norhern Rock
Hundreds (literally) outside Northern Rock in Sidnet Street Cambridge waiting to get their money.
Alistair Darling has already stepped in to say the government and the Banl of England guarantees any ‘savings’? – is that even legal
Is this all an excuse to put mortgages up, time to reign in borrowing & spending – ooops
That was most informative. Those that don’t bother to vote can never criticise the government in charge.
I believe there are some fairly sound arguments for not making voting compulsory, but I can’t remember what they are! I must ask Tortoiseshell!
Italy does not have compulsory voting but turn-out is around 85%. It is sad that people are apathetic about elections in the UK but they do have a right to say, “I can’t be bothered because none of this rhetoric addresses my problems”.
Voting certainly shouldn’t be made compulsory – the choice is there to be made, and not voting is a form of voting as well.
[…] An interesting post over at Ellee Seymour’s looking at countries where voting is compulsory, or not: […]
[…] An interesting post over at Ellee Seymour’s looking at countries where voting is compulsory, or not: […]
I must confess and I am embarrassed to even admit it but i have never voted in my life…. My Gran used to say to me people fought so you could vote… I don’t vote because i know so little about politics.. no excuse really as i should learn….I just find it so boring to read about..
Now don’t all shout at me at once…..
Sally, we will have a good talk about this on Wednesday. The choice about whether to vite is entirely yours at the end of the day. You should feel empowered in knowing that you have the opportunity to help decide on your country’s future political party.
I don’t believe that it is entirely a matter of people not bothering to vote – more a lack of a party worth voting for. I feel that voting ought to be compulsory so long as there is a box marked ‘none of the above’. In fact I am sure that an NOTA box would increase voter turnouts no end.
Being Australian I was brought up to compulsory voting and even when I came to another country faithfully voted in every election I am eligible for. You know many people fought long and hard so that everyone could have the vote. I consider it a duty and obligation to exercise that vote.
The NOTA ballot idea is very difficult to argue against.
It is however the ultimate political taboo.
‘Shall we give the public the chance to tell us that we are all rubbish?’
‘Err’
‘Let’s not’
‘Finally we all agree on something’
Well, I think voting should be compulsory. I have educated my children to take an active interest in politics, to see what goes on behind the scenes, so they can make informed, intelligent choices..
jmb makes a good point about voting “being duty and a obligation”. This is something worth thinking about, particularly as Brown is encouraging immigrants to think about “Britishness”. If it was compulsory to vote you could exercise your right to say “none of the above” or, perhaps, even have to think about the issues of politics that affect everyone’s daily lives and vote on those issues.
However, in a mature democracy, should we be telling people what to do? The government is considering votes at 16. But how can you enfranchise this group by giving them the vote but at the same time disenfranchise them by saying you can’t drink, drive, get a credit card or a mortgage?
As part of a “discussion on constitutional issues” Brown is considering various issues surrounding the constitution. However, he still refuses to publish the Review of Voting Systems in the UK. His government presided over devolution and gave the Scots and Welsh a choice on voting systems but now he doesn’t like the outcome – SNP in Scotland and no overall control in Wales.
Making voting compulsory is irrelevant until the above are resolved.
Ellee, the verdict is: “Compulsory voting would strengthen democracy but at the expense of liberalism”.
So there!
On balance, I would not favour compulsory voting but I would be in favour of inserting a “None of the above” box (as happens in the internal elections of many organisations).
Janice Small said…”SNP in Scotland and no overall control in Wales.”
Just a couple of technical points –
Technically speaking, there is “overall control” in Wales. The formal “One Wales” coalition agreement between Labour and Plaid commands 2/3 support in the National Assembly.
Oddly enough (and without being disrespectful to the SNP’s phenomenal success this year) it’s Scotland that’s more akin to “no overall control” – with the SNP having to govern as a minority administration.
Yes, tortoiseshell, you are technically correct about Wales and Scotland. However, I watched the rainbow coalition talks which tried to freeze out Labour and it very nearly worked but Plaid couldn’t bring themselves to work with the Tories. Hence the coalition. Interesting times in our devolved legislatures.
Labour is currently involved in a “conversation” about constititional issues and one subject brought up this lunchtime on Radio 4’s YouandYours programme was compulsory voting. The people who called in, including me, are very cynical about Labour’s intentions. They have not issued their election manifesto to publish the Review of Voting Systems in the UK and have reneged on another promise for a vote on the UK Constitution. So the conclusion was that people do not trust the government to deliver any reforms, only spin.
I am afraid that compulsory voting will only be adopted if it suits Labour’s electoral chances. My view is that they won’t because they won’t be able to manipulate the outcome.
If we do have compulsory voting then the ballot paper should include “None of the above” in order to give those people a voice who are disenfranchised. Again, what government will bring that in?
But having compulsory voting removes the very foundation of democracy – choice! The choice to vote or not to vote is as important as the choice of which party to vote for. To remove that choice wouldn’t strengthen democracy, but the very opposite. I have expanded on this in a post at my blog.
I think holding up Greece as ANY sort of model democracy is to stand on pretty thin ice..
PASOUK and ND are the two parties that have run Greece for generations.. Those Generations have been run by successive members of the Papandreou and Karamalis clans, both parties known for a high degree of corruption.
Greece is unfortunately buried deep in a “pox on both their houses” politics where I’ve witnessed people solidly on the left voting for the party of the right out of disgust at the Papandreou clan. Further, their constitution guarantees extra seats to the winner, killing all chance of coalition governments, or hung parliaments… So it’s one of the bastards or the other.
Corrupt to the core – their is nothing good to be said for the worlds first democracy.
Janice Small says: “…it very nearly worked but Plaid couldn’t bring themselves to work with the Tories. Hence the coalition.”
At the risk of dragging things off topic…
You will remember that Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives were all set to form a government with the Lib Dems.
This “rainbow” agreement” was brought to an abrupt halt not by Plaid Cymru, as you suggest, but by a shock 9-9 tie in a Lib Dem NEC meeting which they had no constitutional recourse to a tie-break.
Technically, Plaid Cymru could have waited a few days for the Lib Dems to resolve the situation (which the LDs did).
However, the political reality was that the LDs were viweed as a split party after the 9-9 shambles- which explains Plaid Cymru’s ultimate decision to cast their lot in with Labour.
I don’t believe I’ve missed an election, primary or general, since I was eligible to vote.
And voting is not compulsory in the States — but in Chicago we always have a better than average turn out. (Of course, some of our voters aren’t actually alive… but that’s another story.)
But I’d be against compulsory voting — forcing someone to go in and vote when they’d probably cancel out my vote anyway.
And what would we get? Senator Britney? Governor Paris? *shudder*
I’m another one who has always voted but would be totally opposed to making it compulsory.
The move to make it compulsory would remind me of what Bush said after 9-11: “You’re either with us, or you’re with the terrorists”.
Actually George, it’s perfectly possible to despise one group of murderers exactly the same amount as you do another.
Likewise, when thinking about whether or not you’re going to vote, it’s OK to hold all candidates in an equal amount of contempt, and to ultimately decide not to bother.