Throughout Canada’s time as a nation, voting has always been a right, which an individual may choose to exercise, or not. In the last 15 years, voter turnout rates have gradually declined, hitting an all time low at 58.8 percent of the eligible voters in October 2008 as compared to, 64.7 percent in the January 2006 elections. Being the highest voter turnout rate in the last 15 years. Leaving almost 1 in 3 people without an opinion. Which is abysmal as a democratic nation. Raising the question, should Canada shift to compulsory voting? Similar to such countries such as: Australia, Belgium, Italy and Sweden. Because of our increasingly diminishing voter turnout rate, enacting compulsory voting will not only increase our democratic government,
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Political participation is crucial for guaranteeing the legitimacy of a democratic system of government. With citizens abstaining, more elected bodies lose their accountability. For example: a European parliament in 2004 had a turnout rate of 45.6 percent. With numbers like this, a democratic leader cannot speak for a popular or majority will, as the turnout was not even above 50 percent. One has to conclude that high turnout proportions are an absolute necessity for making any democracy claiming legitimacy (Engelen, 2007, 25). It has been found in a cross-country comparison, that consistent political participation has a positive impact on income equality. Consequently, the more citizens abstain from involvement a substantial difference in income equality will occur (Engelen, 2007, 25). We can avoid these issues, and focus on a more “straight forward” solution: Mandatory Voting. If the people are obliged to show up and cast a vote at the ballots, they are more likely to do so. Although those whom decide to desist from voting, for whatever their motive may be, this will result in punitive actions towards those who do not choose to comply. (Engelen, 2007, 25) Public policy is only good as long as the entirety of the population is involved. Though direct participation is practically impossible in large societies, if you do not vote, you simply do not count’ (Engelen, 2007, 24).
However, while introducing compulsory voting, will this create an increase in the turnout rate within Canada? Is this the change we need for Canada to become a more successful democracy? Though more than half of all citizens in the world are currently able to exercise the right to elect their leaders, many individuals choose not to place their opinions and vote. Six out of ten people have the luxury of living in an electoral democracy; non-voters threaten the basics of democratic
Political participation is crucial for guaranteeing the legitimacy of a democratic system of government. With citizens abstaining, more elected bodies lose their accountability. For example: a European parliament in 2004 had a turnout rate of 45.6 percent. With numbers like this, a democratic leader cannot speak for a popular or majority will, as the turnout was not even above 50 percent. One has to conclude that high turnout proportions are an absolute necessity for making any democracy claiming legitimacy (Engelen, 2007, 25). It has been found in a cross-country comparison, that consistent political participation has a positive impact on income equality. Consequently, the more citizens abstain from involvement a substantial difference in income equality will occur (Engelen, 2007, 25). We can avoid these issues, and focus on a more “straight forward” solution: Mandatory Voting. If the people are obliged to show up and cast a vote at the ballots, they are more likely to do so. Although those whom decide to desist from voting, for whatever their motive may be, this will result in punitive actions towards those who do not choose to comply. (Engelen, 2007, 25) Public policy is only good as long as the entirety of the population is involved. Though direct participation is practically impossible in large societies, if you do not vote, you simply do not count’ (Engelen, 2007, 24).
However, while introducing compulsory voting, will this create an increase in the turnout rate within Canada? Is this the change we need for Canada to become a more successful democracy? Though more than half of all citizens in the world are currently able to exercise the right to elect their leaders, many individuals choose not to place their opinions and vote. Six out of ten people have the luxury of living in an electoral democracy; non-voters threaten the basics of democratic