Opinion
Voting should be mandatory for all citizens
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Also by Adam Lichtenheld:
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The idealism of self-governance requires that state sovereignty be built solely on the diverse interests of a nation’s populace. By dispersing power based on the preferences of the people, voting ensures that this notion of autonomy is kept alive. Unfortunately, our nation voluntarily shuns such idealistic opportunity by failing to incorporate the wishes of all citizens in the governing process; voter turnout in the United States is among the lowest of industrialized democracies.
In the election last week, having been deemed the most important of a lifetime, despite insurmountable attempts to reach out to voters, a mere 60 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots. Sadly, this proved to be the highest turnout in over 60 years; the average national elections have historically received input from around 50 percent of the eligible American electorate.
We classify our government as many things, but when nearly half the population opts out of its civic responsibilities, can a true democracy be one of them? Rather than bribing citizens’ votes with candy bars and bottled water, we should be bribing citizens’ brains by making their civic duties unavoidable.
If we wish to ensure the legitimacy of a true democratic nation, then we should consider altering voting from an individual option to a societal obligation. Just as jury duty and paying taxes, stipulations for being an American citizen should include voting requirements. This will especially adhere to the poor voter turnout of local and state elections, where the nationwide average hovers between a pathetic 35 to 40 percent. No longer could people complain about the inconveniences of voting; they will become pains everyone must endure.
Compromises will have to be made (as they are for jury duty) to appease everyone. America’s democratic foundation should ensure leaders are adequate representatives of a clear majority of all citizens, instead of the selections of a majority of only half the population. Many other democratic states, most notably Australia, have seen mandatory voting laws create a habitual propensity to be civically active, as well as an increase in citizens’ interests in their countries’ political practices.
Compelling citizens to vote is no more an unlawful enforcement than expecting their service on juries. We require the latter to ensure the quality of the American justice system, should we not require the former to ensure the quality of the American electoral system? Voting, in the same regard as taxes, should be considered not an optional, participatory right protected by the First Amendment, but an obligatory responsibility for living in this great country, a contribution made by everyone (like taxes) in order to preserve the identity and quality of our governing system.
Every election, whether local or national, routinely faces two barriers. The first is to register citizens and convince them to vote. The second is to inform the voters so they know who to vote for. Why not abolish the first barrier through a federal mandate, leaving all resources available to hurdle the second one? Think of the money to be saved; instead of grassroots organizations spending countless hours just to get people registered and willing to vote, more energy can be funneled into educating the public.
Mandatory voting holds the potential to increase awareness among the common citizen; people would be more prone to pay attention if their vote was required, as opposed to being able to skip the political process altogether. By reaching out to those with no definitive faction allegiance or exclusive left or right political ideologies, we would witness a sharp increase in independent voters; increasing the odds that leaders would be elected based on their public loyalties, not their party loyalties. Politicians would be forced to speak to citizens, not just “voters,” addressing the issues and concerns of everyone.
Despite the educational opportunities mandatory voting would bring, no doubt some votes would be cast with a blind eye and a deaf ear; people who lacked any knowledge of the candidates would choose randomly. But if we are going to pride ourselves on symbolizing an ideal government for the rest of the world, then we must give citizens the choice to vote meaningfully or thoughtlessly, not the choice to be civically irresponsible. If citizens decide to be ignorant of politics, and of those for whom they cast their vote, it is a choice that the people can make, forcing us all to pay firsthand for the apathetic tendencies of our peers.
Such concerns should not, however, deter us from holding citizens directly accountable for the governing of this nation. The people’s voice must be heard, but it must be of all people, not ones who have the time, privilege, knowledge, opportunity and willingness to be involved and informed. Mandatory voting is the only way to prevent apathy and ignorance from unraveling the one remaining political ritual that ensures America’s democracy.
Adam Lichtenheld (lichtenheld@wisc.edu) is a freshman majoring in political science and international studies.
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IP hash: 8bc69993
In that case, to be a citizen you should have to serve 2 years in the military.
IP hash: 144775bd
Adam,
I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you wrote this article not because you sincerely believe in this, but because you had few ideas and this would surely stir up a little controversy.
The whole idea of forcing one to vote is a violation of one’s constitional right to freedom of speech.
Any one person has the same to right express her/himself in silence as the anyone else has the right to express her/himself by chanting and holding signs.
Nick Woulf Alumni
IP hash: 38919be0
I’d prefer that eligible voters who can’t take enough interest in their country just stay at home and watch MTV rather than clutter the polls with whichever candidates name they had heard the most times in advertisements.
Really, if you can’t make being informed mandatory, do you really want them voting?
IP hash: f52ddb5c
The right to vote is just that, a right. By your logic the goverment should also require every citizen to own a gun.
IP hash: f52ddb5c
In a republic, the citizens are not directly accountable for governing. Those who choose to, elect those accountable for governing.
IP hash: 2e2e909b
Frosh post-defeat exuberance…
IP hash: 65cc422c
In Australia, voting is mandatory and no one complains about the requirement as violating freedom of speech or expression. It’s easy enough to write in a vote for an alternative candidate or leave a ballot blank. But they get over 90% participation and don’t have any handwringing or inappropriate false boasting over whether the elected leaders have a mandate to govern.
IP hash: a435b778
“goverment should also require every citizen to own a gun”
Like the Swiss?
IP hash: 01aeea55
We do not, according to our foundation, live in a republic. Therefore, to argue on that basis, as opposed to a democracy, is irrelevant.
You cannot argue that a democratic government, which we are SUPPOSED to be, is built on the notion that over 50%, or even over 60%, will choose leaders.
Obviously, the constitutionality of mandatory voting would prove to be the biggest obstacle, but it does not mean we should not discuss it thoroughly.
To those who feel that to make voting mandatory would lead to giving citizens “guns”, I hardly see the comparison. The former is the only way to ensure a true democracy, the latter, though a 2nd Amendment right, does not ensure anything. I don’t see how my “logic” in any way condones giving everyone a gun. My “logic”, if you would actually understand what I mean, is that a democracy is founded on the notion that citizens will grant powers to their leaders; and that this will be done by ALL citizens, instead of 50% of the public. Your claims of “guns” and “mandatory military service” are completely irrelvant to my argument. What is it that you are so afraid of by making all citizens vote; that you would actually be held accountable for the leaders that are in office instead of being able to say, “Oh, I’m going to be so “rebellious” and forfeit my right to help ensure credibility at the forefront of American’s governance”? Instead of cowardly anonymously posting your opinions in response to a student newspaper editoralist, maybe you should direct your concerns to those who run this country (on all levels) and take part in elections.
Adam Lichtenheld
IP hash: ec7eaeea
BH need not indicate the author is a freshman, it is quite obvious.
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“…voter turnout in the United States is among the lowest of industrialized democracies.”
???
US voter turnout IS the lowest in ANY democracy. It is even quite lower that a lot of non-democracies.
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LOL @ “industrialized democracy” this guy is sad….they should call him oxymoron
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Adam -
The Founders did not intend for us to be a democracy instead of a republic as you seem to think. They did just about everything they could to mediate the potency of the mobocracy they feared. The electoral college, where democracy is bottlenecked and trustees act on behalf of the masses, is a pretty obvious example.
You also fail to see that people can excercise their freedom and right to vote by not voting - some people’s silence is their speech. I would also argue that a low voter turnout is a healthy sign - there’s not much wrong with the system if people aren’t concerned and outraged enough to get involved.
Overall, your assertions are tenuous at best.
Hamilton
IP hash: 7df805cf
“You also fail to see that people can excercise their freedom and right to vote by not voting - some people’s silence is their speech.”
Fair enough, but if voting were mandatory, those people could just as easily leave their ballots blank. As things are now, there is no way to know for certain if people who don’t vote are not voting as an expression of their political choices or because they are lazy or apathetic.
“I would also argue that a low voter turnout is a healthy sign - there’s not much wrong with the system if people aren’t concerned and outraged enough to get involved.”
That’s possible, but unlikely. In our society, it’s more likely that low voter turnout is more a function of peoples’ laziness.
IP hash: 8fb3876a
First of all, we do not live in a democracy. We are a republic with democratic principles. If a pure democracy were envisioned by the Founding Fathers, senators would not have been originally selected by state legislators. This practice was changed by a constitutional amendment in the early part of the last century. If this were a pure democracy, there would not be a bicameral Congress representing the needs of the states (Senate) and the needs of the people (House of Representatitves).
Finally, how do you suppose we pass a federal law requiring people who are constitutionally empowered to vote? If this is done by the Congress, it is not the direct result of democracy but of the action of the Republic. I think it is rather ironic that the officials that a little over 50% of the people voted to elect would mandate 100% voter turn-out.
Maybe political science majors should be more grounded in American History.
IP hash: 77b51843
Hi,
I found your article very helpful. I’m currently writing a paper on mandatory voting in Australia and how to translate it into Canadian Politics. So far it’s been interesting to see that the Australian voter turnout is around 95% while Canadians are at 60.5% (in 2004), which is the point at which the Australian government in 1924 enstated mandatory voting.
Thanks
Kate
IP hash: 426f602d
Adam, how many countries require voting?
I agree with you that all citizens have the responsibility to vote. At least in national and state elections. And there has to be a very punitive penalty for not voting. Unfortunately there is a very punitive penalty in place now for not voting but most Americans do not realize that this penalty is a corrupt government serving only the very rich.
A very effective way to control the excesses of Congress is to vote out the incumbants, this would provide the unknowledgeable voter an opportunity to provide a real service to the country.
The best form of a democracy where the majority of the people are served is one in which the people are drafted to serve in all the present elected positions. No more buying an election.
Requiring all citizens to vote is an essential step in establishing a “people” democracy.
Regards, Marvin McAnnally