by Bryan Solari

Created on: January 31, 2007   Last Updated: April 19, 2007

Forcing the Issue: The Potential Consequences of Compulsory Voting on American Democracy

The United States of America currently sits near the bottom of the heap concerning turnout in modern democracies. In the 2000 Presidential Election, only 51 percent of the eligible American public voted . Despite the exaggerated celebratory nature of analysts, turnout for the Presidential Election of 2004 was only higher by a small handful of percentage points. The consistent decline of voter turnout, across all electoral boundaries and in every category of election, has spurred various political scientists to ponder whether compulsory voting is a desirable remedy. Compulsory voting is the "system of laws and/or norms mandating that enfranchised citizens turn out to vote, often accompanied by (a) a system of compulsory voter registration and (b) penalties for non-compliance, usually fines or the denial of state-provided benefits" . The policy's implementation has never been attempted on a national basis in the United States, and the prospective possibility carries with it numerous questions and concerns. If compulsory voting were to be instituted as law in the United States of America, indeed the structure of democracy would be transformed. However, the improvement of democracy due to the implementation of the aforementioned subject would be minimal, with the inverse negative possibilities likely outweighing any positive outcomes.

To begin to attain a proper rationale for the usage of compulsory voting in America, it is befitting to first ascertain the democratic ills that have befallen the country. As stated above, low voter turnout has become a reliable trend in American elections, with Presidential elections garnering about half of all voters, congressional elections a third, and local elections just a quarter. While this may not be alarming at first glance, several notable political scientists have given their insight as to the negative consequences of these bottom dwelling figures. Among the most active of those calling for further scholarly interest in the matter is University of California, San Diego professor, Arend Lijphart.

In his 1997 essay entitled, "Unequal Participation: Democracy's Unresolved Dilemma", Lijphart focuses on the innate discrimination that low voter turnout exemplifies on Election Day, and beyond . The major discriminatory aspects of low turnout, Lijphart contends, are along educational and economic lines. According to Lijphart, "the inequality

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