Compulsory voting facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Compulsory voting means that citizens who are registered to vote are required by law to participate in elections. This means they must cast a ballot. As of January 2026, 21 countries have laws making voting mandatory. However, how these laws are enforced, and the penalties for not voting without a good reason, can be very different from one country to another. Some countries have strict rules, while others have almost no penalties.

History

Voting in Ancient Times

In ancient Athenian democracy, people believed it was every citizen's duty to help make decisions for their city. Even though attending the assembly was voluntary, sometimes people who didn't participate faced social disapproval. For example, in the 5th century BC, public workers would use a red-stained rope to guide citizens from the market (agora) to the assembly meeting place. Those who got red on their clothes were fined. This happened when not enough people showed up for the assembly to continue.

In the Roman Republic, voting was seen as an important right for Roman citizens. It gave them a say in their government and helped protect their property. However, voting only happened in Rome, which made it hard for many citizens to travel and take time off to vote. There was no payment for voting, unlike some other public duties.

Voting in the Modern World

Since the 1800s, a small number of democracies have introduced compulsory voting. Between 1862 and 1998, about 20 democracies, mostly in Europe and Latin America, made voting mandatory. Belgium has one of the oldest systems, started in 1893 for men and 1948 for women.

Australia introduced compulsory voting for national elections in 1924. Before this, only about 47% to 78% of eligible voters actually voted. After the law, turnout jumped to 91% to 96%. Some countries, like the Netherlands (in 1967) and Venezuela (in 1993), have changed from compulsory to voluntary voting. When Venezuela stopped mandatory voting, turnout dropped from 82% to 61%.

Why Make Voting Mandatory?

More People Represented

When more people vote, the government becomes more representative of everyone in the country. This makes it harder for groups to stop certain people from voting. It helps ensure that the choices made by politicians truly reflect what citizens want. When fewer people vote, the results might not show the true wishes of all citizens.

Voting as a Civic Duty

Many supporters believe that voting for leaders is a citizen's responsibility, not just a right. They compare it to other duties like paying taxes, serving on a jury, or going to school. This idea suggests that all citizens should share the responsibility for choosing the government that leads them. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights even mentions "duties to community."

Better Choices for Leaders

Some experts, like political scientist Waleed Aly, argue that compulsory voting can lead to better leaders and better decisions. When everyone has to vote, politicians can't just focus on getting their strongest supporters to the polls. Instead, they have to appeal to a wider range of voters, including those who might not usually vote. This can encourage politicians to be more moderate and less extreme.

Small Penalties, Big Impact

Even small penalties for not voting can greatly increase turnout. This helps achieve the goal of having a government that represents more people. When voting is mandatory, the public and courts often make sure the voting process is easy and fair for everyone.

Stronger Governments

When many people participate in elections, it gives the government more political legitimacy. This means people are more likely to trust and accept the government's decisions because it was chosen by a large number of citizens. High participation also helps protect against political instability and prevents extreme leaders from gaining too much power.

Making Voting Easier for Everyone

Supporters also argue that mandatory voting helps remove barriers to voting. If everyone must vote, then problems like bad weather, lack of transport, or employers making it hard to take time off are more likely to be identified and fixed. This ensures that all eligible voters, including men and women, can easily access polling places. Options like voting by mail or early voting can also make it more convenient for people to fulfill their duty.

Encouraging Political Learning

Another benefit of compulsory voting is that it can make people more interested in politics and encourage them to learn more. This can lead to a better-informed population. For example, since campaigns don't need to spend as much money convincing people to vote, they can use those funds to discuss policies with more voters. Australian senator Herbert Payne, who helped introduce compulsory voting in Australia in 1924, believed it would improve people's political knowledge.

Why Some Disagree with Mandatory Voting

Fines Can Be Hard on Some

One concern is that fines for not voting might affect poorer citizens more. To address this, some suggest making penalties mild, basing them on income, or allowing people to do community service instead of paying a fine. It's also important to make sure voting is easy and accessible for everyone.

Freedom to Not Speak

Another argument against compulsory voting is that it forces people to participate, which some see as going against freedom of speech. This freedom includes the right not to speak or express an opinion. In countries with secret ballots, people can submit blank votes if they don't want to choose a candidate. Some suggest adding a "none of the above" option to ballots.

Religious Reasons

Some people have religious beliefs that prevent them from participating in political events. For example, some Christadelphians and Jehovah's Witnesses hold this view. Because of this, many countries allow religious beliefs as a valid reason for not voting.

Voting as a Right, Not a Duty

Some people, especially American libertarians, debate whether voting is a civic duty or simply a civic right. Even in the United States, where many see voting as a duty, a 2020 poll showed that most Americans didn't like the idea of fining people for not voting, especially if they had a strong objection.

Risk of Manipulation

A potential downside is that if people who are not very interested in politics are forced to vote, they might be more easily influenced or manipulated by unfair tactics.

What Happens When Voting is Mandatory?

Studies have looked at the effects of compulsory voting. For example, a 2015 study in a Swiss region found that mandatory voting led to more support for left-leaning policies in local votes. A 2008 study in the United States suggested that if everyone voted, the impact on national elections might be small, but it could change the outcome in very close elections.

Research in Australia in 2011 found that compulsory voting increased the vote share for the Australian Labor Party and led to more spending on pensions. A 2016 study found that mandatory voting helps reduce the difference in political involvement between men and women. Another 2016 study in the Netherlands found that when compulsory voting was removed, social democratic parties gained more votes, while smaller and more extreme parties lost votes. A 2024 study suggested that compulsory voting can reduce political disagreements and encourage parties to focus on what most voters want.

Countries with Compulsory Voting

As of December 2021, 21 countries had laws for compulsory voting. However, only 10 of these countries (plus one Swiss region) actually enforce these laws. For example, Australia is one of the few countries that strictly enforces compulsory voting. In countries like Belgium, Greece, Luxembourg, Mexico, and Turkey, voting is legally compulsory but the laws are not enforced.

Countries with Compulsory Voting
Place	Exemptions	Turnout	Enforced?	Penalties	Notes
Argentina	Ages 16, 17, over 70, or far away/sick on election day.	75%	Yes	Fines, barred from public dealings.	Introduced in 1912.
Australia	Travel, illness, religious objection, no fixed address.	92%	Yes	Fines (e.g., AU$20 for first-time).	Introduced federally in 1924. Voter registration is also compulsory.
Belgium	Not registered to vote.	90%	No	Fines (rarely enforced since 2003).	Introduced in 1894.
Bolivia	Over 70, absent on Election Day.	92%	Yes	Fines, unable to receive salary for 3 months.	Since 1952.
Brazil	Ages 16, 17, over 70, far from home, or cannot read.	80%	Yes	Fines, proof needed for passport/public jobs.	Since 1932.
Chile	Health issues, far from voting poll.	TBD	Yes		Mandatory voting was reintroduced in 2022.
Ecuador	Ages 16, 17, over 65, or cannot read.	82%	Yes		Introduced in 1936.
Greece	Over 70.	~60%	No	Used to have penalties, lifted in 2000.
Liechtenstein		78%	Yes	Fines for non-compliance.	Since 1973.
Luxembourg	Under 18 or over 75, live abroad.	90%	No	Fines (not imposed since 1963).	Compulsory for citizens 18-75 living in Luxembourg.
Nauru		90%	Yes		Introduced in 1965.
Peru	Over 70.	81%	Yes	Fines.	Introduced in 1933.
Singapore	Travel, illness, under 21.	95%	Yes	Removal from electoral roll, fines.
Swiss canton of Schaffhausen			Yes		Only canton in Switzerland with compulsory voting.
Uruguay	Health issues, absence, citizenship suspension.	90%	Yes	Fines, barred from public dealings.	Introduced in 1934, enforced since 1970.

Countries That Stopped Mandatory Voting

Many countries have tried compulsory voting and later stopped it. For example:

Austria: Introduced in 1924, repealed in 1992.
Bulgaria: Introduced in 2016 due to low turnout, but the Constitutional Court canceled the law the next year, saying voting is a right, not an obligation.
Netherlands: Introduced in 1917, repealed in 1967. Public opinion on it changed over time.
Venezuela: Removed in 1993. Turnout dropped significantly after it was no longer mandatory.

How Countries Encourage Voting

Even when voting is compulsory, the penalties for not voting are not always strict. Many countries accept good reasons for not voting, such as illness or being far away.

In Australia, if someone says not voting is against their religion, that reason is accepted.
In Argentina, you can get a doctor's note if you're sick or a police certificate if you're far from your voting place.
In Belgium, voters abroad can vote at an embassy or have another voter cast their vote for them with permission.

Penalties are often small. This is because the goal is usually to make it slightly more inconvenient not to vote than to vote. Penalties can include:

Fines: Small amounts of money.
Loss of voting rights: In Belgium and Singapore, repeatedly failing to vote can mean losing the right to vote for a period.
Restrictions on public services: In Peru and Greece, people who don't vote might be denied certain government services. In Brazil, you might not be able to get a passport or certain jobs. In Bolivia, you might not be able to withdraw your salary from the bank for a few months.

To make voting easier, many places offer options like voting by mail or pre-poll voting at special stations before election day.