Compulsory voting is not favoured by many people, especially those who believe that a government forcing them to do anything is an attack on their freedom. The same argument can be made of taxes, security checks at airports, and most other things attach to the security state.
However I would argue for democracy to function fairly it can be argued compulsion is necessary.
The Australian polls open is less than 24 hours, and if like previous elections, Australia will have the highest voter turn out in the world, attributed to the compulsory law and that it is held always on a Saturday. If Australia has the highest participation, it can be argued that it also has the most representative democracy.
Australian Citizens are by law required to vote in tomorrow’s federal election. Even so not all eligible people are enrolled to vote; about 75% of eligible people are enrolled. The percentage of enrolled electors that voted in the 2004 Federal Election was approximately 94%, so 70% of Australians actually cast a ballot, technically and per head of population Australia does has the highest voter turn out in the world, and the fine for not voting, that generates this huge turn out, a $20 ($US17.40) Fine.
And for those Freedom loving people the law gives a lot of wriggle room, you can avoid the fine by simply stating one is of unsound mind (incapable of understanding the nature and significance of voting).
The mere "culture" of compulsion works and in a country founded on common law, freedom is not practically or actually restricted. Some libertarians protest each election by going to the polling booth, and telling the Australian Electoral Commission what they think of them, using colourful language on an invalid ballot.
The downside of the law is more than made up buy the upside, as the political game of getting out the "base" which is almost essential in an American Election is missing in the Australia system. The only time you hear "get out the vote", is between the time the Prime Minister call’s the election, and the time the electoral rolls close, about 4 days.
This campaign John Howard’s Conservative Government changed the Electoral Act to get the books to close earlier, with an eye to disenfranchise the youth vote. This backfired, as young people raced and applied online in higher numbers that any other election in the last couple of decades. That means in 2007 more 18 -24 year olds are on the roll than ever before, participating in their first election, and no surprise that they favour the Labor party.
With practically 100% participation the campaign is not flanked by special intrest, and remains in the centre. Read any report and the issues this Election cycle were the Environment, Cost of Living, Economic Management, Education and Health. The "gay marriage" card made no waves, despite one shock jock’s attempt to make it an issue, because those for and against it, vote anyway.
There is no referendum for special interest votes attached to the main poll to bring the electoral disinterested into the process. Imagine how much prettier American Politics would be without these kinds of games.
That’s not to say the politics of wedging does not play a part in an Australian campaign, it can be argued that John Howard wedged Labor at the last 2 elections. Using immigration and borderline racism, to win in a xenophobic electorate, but with shame as an Australian, I have to admit that actually did reflect the mood of those swing voters that change the government in Australia. But they are always changing the government, and you can’t blame the swinging voter, because without them we would be a one party state.
Anyway since then Labor have learnt not to be dragged into the wedge, hence the allegations that they have been involved in me-tooism, and a slight grunting sound from the left side of the party.
While this Australian campaign has been called boring by many news commentators, it has in fact been a beautiful display of participatory democracy, one in which the people made their minds up long before the phoney campaign began, and based on the behaviour and record of the government, and the health of the opposition. They think out it before the election, because they know they have to vote it.
Compulsory voting means bad governments get kicked out, when they go too far, and the election process can’t be hijacked by special interest. Sure some pork barrelling in the marginal’s, but at least that’s put up front before the vote, rather than stuffed on a random bill going through the law making process of a dysfunctional Senate long after the election.
By not needing to get the base out, because it gets out without a push, and every time, America could start thinking about policy rather than politics. The kicker, American values of Freedom, equate to a lack of Fairness in the Electoral process, which makes an ass out of Congress and the Executive.
Oh and holding an Election on a Weekend day makes it a whole lot eaiser to vote, who decided Tuesday was a good day?