Compulsory voting

[L'Chaim]

In Australia registered voters who fail to turn up to vote have to provide a good reason for not voting, or else pay a modest fine, the equivalent of around $15. The fine increases for each subsequent offense. This results in a turn out of around 95% on voting day. The reason behind this fine system if you don't vote, is that the fine not only encourages people to vote but it instals the idea that voting is an obligation.

What happens is that the politicians know that instead of just getting votes from their personal or party base, they have to persuade others to vote for them too.

I have to say that it does bother me when people get elected on a turn out of say 65%. The government/politician can get elected on around 30 - 50% of that 65%. They could end up being elected on 20 -25% of the total votes available. And the result could be different if more people turned out to vote.

Still though, if you force people to vote would they just vote for anyone in order to not have to pay a fine? If you force people to do something there might be a backlash

[johnfás]

You've a right not to vote, as well as a right to vote.

Generally countries do not enforce "compulsory voting" but rather "compulsory turnout", in which case you can still spoil your ballot, or not submit it.

[beardyboy]

I did not vote as no one represented my views - so why should I be corralled into a voting booth to spoil a vote ?

[moe]

I did not vote as no one represented my views - so why should I be corralled into a voting booth to spoil a vote ?

To make the point that you felt unconvinced or unsatisfied by the candidates. If you don't turn up to vote, its usually put down to apathy or laziness. It would be far more effective to turn up to show that you're interested, and spoil the vote.
I would support the compulsory turn out idea. If someone is opposed to voting for whatever reason, they spoil their vote. No one's rights are being denied.
Someone earlier said that they were worried by the idea of uninformed or uneducated people electing TDs; I am more worried by someone saying that a particular person is not of a high enough educational standard or intelligence to have a say in the running of their country.