Mandatory voting for all citizens sounds enticing because it would create a stronger unity under democracy. However, all citizens voting and democracy have their fair share of criticism that dates all the way back to Ancient Greece. So, before we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of mandatory voting for all citizens, let’s break down the word democracy.
Form of Government
The reason I want to break down this word is that it is a key principle in American politics. Democracy can mean the rule by people or, more specifically and modernly, “a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.” This means citizens have the right to vote for who they believe best represents them and their interests.
In theory, it would benefit citizens because the power is in their vote. It sounds like a good thing, and it is when the right people vote. What I mean by the right people is citizens who care and know what they want (i.e polices, representation, interests, etc), which brings me to the first disadvantage.
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Disadvantages
If it is mandatory for everyone to vote, then not very knowledgeable or rational votes will be made. This was one of the reasons the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates disliked democracy, because it meant anyone could vote. He did not see voting as a birthright and instead he saw it as a skill that is supposed to be learned.
Socrates did not have ill intentions because, after all, doesn't knowing about the policies, the candidates running, political parties and ideologies, as well as what these decisions will look like four or even eight years from now, take time, effort, and research? Not everyone does that or even cares enough to do that, which proves Socrates' point.
So, if voting were mandatory for everyone, would they care enough to educate themselves to make rational decisions?
Another concern I would have is age! When we say all citizens, are we also including infants, toddlers, and middle schoolers? Some of you are probably like obviously not, but that’s why wording and defining things are super important. Because if it did mean no age restrictions, I think the ballots would be filled with a lot of scribbles…If they aren't already.
Besides, kids should be doing kid things. Yes, it sounds like a nice opportunity to be involved, but there are age-friendly opportunities out there that don't affect the next four years of billions of people.
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Advantages
Now, I definitely see the bright side of this argument. Such as more participation that could really lead to close calls during elections, which would make a huge difference because it just takes one additional vote from either side to change the results. In addition to that, it would make citizens engage more in politics and have no choice but to be aware.
Mandatory voting for all citizens would definitely make the work of many organizations lighter. For example, this organization paused a lecture to encourage students to vote for the upcoming mayoral elections in NYC. They handed out voter registration forms, spoke about where to go, deadlines, the importance, and so forth. If voting were mandatory for all citizens, they wouldn’t have to do so much legwork in convincing people to vote or that their vote matters.
Another benefit of this is that it would make people take voting and the future of the nation more seriously. And in terms of a democracy, it would keep it going because the citizens are actively participating. Democracy weakens when there is either no will to vote or when citizens believe there is no power in their vote. So, in a way, if it were to be mandatory, it would be like a permanent way to keep a democracy running.
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Ending Argument
To sum it up, I am against the idea of mandatory voting even though it sounds like a positive reinforcement. I am open to the idea of it and can see why people think it will be beneficial, but knowing that citizens already view our politics as a joke, it is hard to say if they will take it seriously. Having the right to vote comes with a lot of power and responsibility because it determines a nation's future, so would we be ready to wield it?
