For

• Compulsory voting will lead to higher participation
  • Voters will educate themselves
• Voter turnout will increase
  • Will improve legitimacy as the result is representative of the electorate
• Voter turnout is largely imbalanced across all ages and is not representative
  • Their voice would be considered much better in politics, with actions being orientated to all
  • >60 = ~70%+
  • <25 = ~40

Against

• Votes would be for the sake of voting.
  • Legitimacy affected - accurate? Are choices informed?
• Not voting is a choice in the same way voting is a choice.
  • This limits individual liberty which is a part of democracy.

Personal Decision

For, compulsory voting for general elections and referendums would lead to a higher voter turnout across all ages, improving legitimacy and balancing out how politicians treat all ages. Despite people potentially being uneducated, it will likely lead to many educating themselves more about their own personal choice.

Lesson Notes

- votes would be for the sake of voting

- people would not care; they will not consider the impact of their vote and just do it to get it out the way/avoid punishment

- poorly/informed choices? - poor choice of government

- legitimacy affected - accuracy?

political education - may be done by schools, people may consider the impact of their vote

legitimacy improved, higher voter turnout -> more representative, more people well educated and having a better vote

more votes, more representative of the electorate, closer to a direct democracy