How Compulsory Voting Works: Australians Explain

As a matter of fact, compulsory voting is a real democratic process, for one reason - It makes a lot of very ticked off voters get out there and vote. It's not at all uncommon for the two major parties to get kicked severely. Our voting system also produces some odd results, due to our preferential voting system. In one case, our archetypal conservative Prime Minister, Bob Menzies, was returned by Communist preferences - The Communists didn't want to give preferences to the Australian McCarthyist party, so he won by about 300 preferences. Took him years to live that down, in the midst of the Cold War.

Should also ask why Australia's election system has made it difficult to cast individual votes, encouraging the tick of a box for a party, and leaving it to each party to deciding where its votes should be directed. It does seem to favour political parties rather than the voters.

Any changes to the voting system will require voting; some will require 2/3 majorities of state and/or federal legislatures. Unfortunately, the demographics who seem to want the changes are also demographics that don't like to vote. For example, my fellow democrats.

Spoiled or rejected ballots should be counted and reported in official returns. The voter’s right to declare that no suitable candidates have been presented is a long-standing tradition in electoral democracy. This right is especially applicable where voting is compulsory. Voters should not be forced to choose the least offensive of a bad bunch of candidates. That is a hallmark of regimes that erect significant barriers to candidacy - high registration fees, onerous nomination petition requirements, educational qualifications - to weed out dissidents. To guard against this, the potential for a grass-roots spoiled-ballot campaign should always be present. This is only guaranteed when spoiled ballots are recognized as such, reported and included in official records of results.

It's not compulsory voting, only compulsory "getting your name marked off". Once you showed up you're free to place an empty ballot in the box or whatever else you might like to say/do with it. It'd be strange if they were checking the votes after all!

I am presently visiting North America from Australia. Paying tax is compulsory in every country, so why would voting also not be compulsory? Anyone who does NOT take part actively in the precious democratic process by voting has no right to complain about the government. If you don’t like it, inform yourself and vote! Democracies should make voting compulsory and easy, which it is in Australia.

We, America, should just make voting day a national holiday. There would be NO excuse for not voting if they have the day off. I have voted in every election since I was eligible to vote, and very proud of that fact. Was I always enamored of my choices? No, but I researched and decided which of the selections most closely addressed my needs and beliefs. No one is infallible, yet too many Americans think that they should not vote if the candidate is not 'pure' (in the ideological sense). Mandatory voting should be a must. I'm sure there will still be many who would rather pay the fine. Takes time to right the ship, so to speak. We have come to take democracy for granted here, and if we don't make changes, it will too soon be gone. We are now on that path, and it's because people stayed home in 2016.

The term Democracy Sausage was only recorded in 2012. I can't say where it came from but the use of Twitter for micro-bloggingseems to have been part of cementing recognition of the term. Do you know it was shortlisted for word of the year by the Oxford dcitionary? Hashtag scholar (yes its true - and arguably hashtags now have more significance than Shakespeare, so maybe even worthy of scholarship) has analysed it https://www.hca.westernsydney.edu.au/gmjau/?p=1139 I love our #democracysausage tradition. You wouldn't want to have missed living in these times. Humanity eh?

Murdering innocent animals under the guise of 'democracy'. Sound logic.

I really support compulsory voting and must admit that I'm confused by not having voting on a weekend which is when a majority people can get to the polling booths. My favourite democracy moment came when my daughter was discussing her dad's ability to loudly pass wind with our local senator. Much hilarity had by all. What is important is that both voter registration and electorate boundaries are tightly controlled by independent bodies and there would be significant penalties (and voter backlash) if they were interfered with.

I’m a dual citizen, US and Oz. I loooove compulsory voting. It’s easy, even if you’re not around on the actual day — early voting places are set up everywhere, or you can postal vote. It creates a real participatory democracy. Candidates and parties don’t have to waste energy and money getting out the vote. Most importantly, nobody is disenfranchised. No voter suppression tactics. What’s not to like?

As much as it can sometimes be a pain to vote, I have voted in every election (Federal, State and Local Council) since I turned 18 (since 1981). It is a privilege to vote, particularly when you see how many countries have essentially no choice but to vote for the ruling dictator. I've never called it a 'democracy sausage,' but rather a sausage sizzle or barbie. Luckily, the local school who runs the booths in my electorate have a cake stall too, and it's also a very doggy neighbourhood. Everyone talks to each other when they've got their pets with them - it's the ultimate icebreaker, and it makes the queue go that much faster too. Do I think voting should be compulsory? Yes, I do, because those who contend that their vote doesn't count are doing themselves a disservice, and really shouldn't whinge about who gets in as a result.

I love voting day, the entire neighbourhood gather at the local school, we get into the queue and get to shop, eat and drink along the way from the stalls alongside the queue, the sausage sanga is a MUST! We bump into friends, we contribute to our society and mark our paper ballot. Then after dinner, we all sit down to watch the TV coverage and how the different neighbourhoods voted.

In Tasmania we overcome the effect of the donkey vote by using the Robson rotation whereby a number of versions of ballot papers are distributed in which each candidate gets a turn at the top of the list. This goes along with our use of the Hare-Clark electoral system of proportional representation that just makes voting even more interesting.

This article should also mention a preferential voting system which allows people to vote for parties other than the major two! In Australia, if someone is disillusioned with the two major parties, they can select another candidate from a range of independent and small party candidates. If those minor candidates don't do well, the preferential voting means that the vote can eventually go to the major party they prefer. Therefore, there vote is guaranteed not to be wasted if they choose another minor candidate!

I've now seen both systems in action, and I've got to say, I think Australia's got some distinct advantages. When you know that everyone or nearly everyone is going to vote, there's no point wasting time in trying to suppress voter turnout. Politicians here instead tend to offer and play up pet projects and policies: "vote for us, we'll get that railway project through" or "vote for us; we think there are too many immigrants." (I didn't say all those policies are great, mind you.) There's very little dogwhistling; everyone knows what their agendas are. And by and large, they get chosen or punished on those agendas and how they govern. After US politics, that's got a certain charming innocence to it.

It's great to penalize people for not voting, but that does not factor the United States' history of voter suppression. Because this nation [the US] is currently being held hostage by an unrepresentative group of conservative politicians and billionaires, who have and likely will continue to benefit from and perpetuate this voter suppression, the policies and atmosphere described in the above article will likely not occur. As the article explains, this is not a one step solution. We need a federal holiday for election day, and a variety of supporting laws that will allow people to vote. Because the way things are looking, it seems like some politicians would get compulsory voting passed but not make it possible for people who want to vote to be able to vote, which is not only depriving people of their right to participate in the political process, but penalizing them financially for their government's inability to effectively enact legislation and policies.

Of course there are a few Elephants or as the case may be Donkeys in the room concerning US elections which don't come into play at all.. Gerrymanders which seem to be the norm in the USA can't happen in OZ as we have an Electoral Boundary Commission which well before each election based upon our census results and independant of party interests adjust the electoral boundaries to get a rational redefinition of electorates so the number and political dispositions of the inhabitants are reasonably close to balanced. Secondarily we have anonamous paper ballots which one has to mark in ink so there is a physical limit corresponding to the electoral roll numbers which is used in a recount should it be necessary so there are no hanging chads or electronic anomalies. Thirdly We have preferential voting which means we may lodge sequentially all our voting preferences so if there is no clear winner ones 2nd 3rd 4th and so on preferred winners are listed meaning there is a victor that aligns with the voters wishes. Finally ones vote actually counts and isn't referred to that weird system of super voters that form the final arbiters of and election independent of the actual voters wishes (I thinks its called the Electoral Collegiate or some such abstraction of the truth) The System in the USA appears to be completely open to compromise and interference. Contemporise your system or die.

In 1983 the Franklin Dam was a big issue. So many people wrote NO DAMS on their ballot paper that the AEC had to rule whether that made their vote invalid. It didn't. So 42% wrote NO DAMS on their ballot paper in the next election.

There's a difference between a 'donkey vote' and an 'informal vote'. A donkey vote is one where preferences are filled out in sequence from the top to the bottom of the ballot paper (or 'reverse donkey', from bottom to top). Provided all boxes are numbered, it is a valid vote (just one that doesn't involve having to think). An informal vote is one where no mark whatever is made on the ballot paper, one or more preferences are not completed, or the ballot paper is defaced by comments or drawings. It doesn't count, and is a waste of time for the voter, the scrutineers, and the electoral officials.

'... but they can cast a blank or marred ballot as a protest known as a “donkey vote.”' A blank or marred ballot is an informal vote. A "donkey vote" is valid but filled out 1, 2, 3, etc. down the ballot paper (preferential system) without proper consideration of the candidates.

Saturday voting also means big election night parties are a tradition when you can watch the results come in and celebrate or drown your sorrows (see: the movie Don's Party).

We also have preferential voting, so if you don't like the major candidates you can vote third party and if they don't get in your vote goes to the next person of your choice. I typically vote third party and preference the Labor (left wing) party. As for democracy sausages; it's absolutely a thing, except at my closest polling place, a fact I always forget on the day. In my opinion, voting is one of a citizens responsibilities in society and should be compulsory.

There is a downside to compulsory voting. The majority of the electorate are ill-informed and have no interest in the election. They vote because they want to avoid a fine, but their vote carries the same weight as an informed, motivated voter. Our election campaign period is usually 4-6 weeks and by the end, people are sick to death of it. I can't imagine a year long campaign.

I lived in Australia for more than 30 years (voting for much of that time), and I never heard of "Democracy sausages". Sounds a bit sus to me because it sounds too "Yank" for Australian tastes. (BBQs and snags, definitely yes.) But maybe the term is just a Sydney thing. Which means that people elsewhere would prefer to ignore it.

Saturday voting also means another great Australian tradition: election night parties where everyone watches the results come in and celebrates (or drowns there sorrows). Check out the 1976 movie Don's Party.

Before the late 70's !8 year olds did not vote as the age of majority was 21. I am 61 and I have never heard the local sausage sizzle referred to as serving "democracy sausages" but yes, we do love a BBQ. However, Australians love to drink alcohol (preferably beer) at BBQ's and alcohol is not served at polling stations. Compulsory voting is a good thing for democracy overall and it tilts politics away from extremism. The vast majority like moderation, evolution not revolution. Every so often a populist or a more extreme lefty gets a little traction in Australia, but they don't last long usually or they stay "small". I am convinced that compulsory voting would even out your political conversation more in the USA.

This is the solution to our republican problem. Since 1980 a minority of citizens has by criminal enterprise of republicans in authority, held the rest of us hostage. They are bent on destroying government by the people to free up a small group of maybe a few hundred, possibly more than a thousand wealthy people to have free run to exploit in our economy without consequence and be allowed to walk away free and clear when they have their fill. That is really the only problem the US has. Fix that and everything solves itself almost without effort.

In truth, a national BBQ sounds like what we need right about now.

Given their recent run of Prime Ministers, I'm not sure they're the best people to be giving advice.

The first democracy to penalize voters for not voting was Athens. Mixed results, but it did indeed increase political participation by all classes. OTOH the first democracy to try to redistribute elite property to majority voters was also Athens, but when the Roman plebeian legislature tried the practice, Rome’s elite Senate began successfully branding it as political corruption. Better to penalize non-voters equally than reward voters unequally?