A BALANCED BALLOT By Bevan Hamilton October 30, 2013

CANADA’S VOTING SNAPSHOT   High of 79.4% in March 1958  Low of 58.8% in October 2008  Problem: downward voting trend  Compulsory Voting debate

VOTING LAWS IN CANADA  You are eligible to vote in Canada if you are: - a Canadian citizen - at least 18 years of age - registered to vote  Ways to vote: - Vote at your advance poll - Vote at your local Elections Canada office (anytime during the election) - Vote by mail - Vote on election day at your assigned polling station  There is accessibility to vote for every Canadian, including the homeless and prison inmates (excluding murder convictions)

PROFILE: AUSTRALIA  Compulsory enrolment was introduced in 1912  Compulsory voting was introduced on July 24, 1924  Voter turnout increased from 59.3 % (1922) to 91 % (1925)  Lowest turnout since 1925 is % (1987)  Fines for failing to vote

COMPULSORY VOTING WORLDVIEW Countries with enforced voting: Argentina Australia Brazil Democratic Republic of the Congo Ecuador Luxembourg Nauru Peru Singapore Uruguay

WORLDVIEW CONT. Non-enforced compulsory voting: Belgium Bolivia Costa Rica Dominican Republic Egypt Greece Honduras Lebanon (men only) Libya Mexico Panama Paraguay Thailand Turkey

VIDEOS  Video 1: Aussie streeter: Mandatory Voting Video 1: Aussie streeter: Mandatory Voting  BBC Katie Beck (2013) - BBC Katie Beck (2013) -  Video 2: Prof. Jason Brennan -

ARGUMENT FOR COMPULSORY VOTING  Decisions made by democratically elected governments are more legitimate when higher proportions of the population participate  Educational effect upon the citizens  Does not enforce compulsory voting, only compulsory participation  If democracy is government by the people, then it is every citizen's responsibility to elect their representatives  Compulsory voting keeps the political system responsive to the people  Voting is a democratic right that Canadians shouldn’t take for granted

ARGUMENT AGAINST COMPULSORY VOTING  Voting is a civic right and not a civic duty – Canada is a FREE country  Citizens have the right to choose whether they want to vote  Reduces the legitimacy of elected representatives  Compulsory voting does not force a choice. People can always lodge a blank or spoiled ballot paper.  May infringe on other rights such as religious practice

POSSIBLE OBSTACLES TO VOTING  Economic situation  Religion  Ignorance  Apathy  Comfort  Culture  Youth

MY OPINION  I don’t think compulsory voting should be implemented in Canada  I would rather quality votes over quantity votes  I don’t think being forced to vote would bring better government  I think that people SHOULD vote but I don’t think they should be forced to  It violates too many of our freedoms and isn’t overly beneficial in the end

QUESTIONS  Do you think the Canadian government should implement compulsory voting? Why or why not?  If so, what should the penalty be?  If not, what should the government do to get more people to vote?

SOURCES  “More votes doesn’t mean increased awareness,” posted on the Globe and Mail Web site at: voters-doesnt-mean-increased-awareness/article577809/. Retrieved on Oct. 24, voters-doesnt-mean-increased-awareness/article577809/  “A History of the Vote in Canada,” posted on the Elections Canada Web site at: Retrieved on Oct. 23,  “Compulsory Voting,” posted on the Wikipedia Web site at: Retrieved on Oct. 23,  “Voter Turnout Data Australia,” posted on The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance Web Site at: Retrieved on Oct. 29,  “Voting: Canada against its’ peers,” posted on the Conference Board of Canada Web site at: Retrieved Oct. 24,

SOURCES CONT.  “Pros and Cons of Mandatory Voting,” posted on the Legal Library of Australia Web site at: Retrieved on Oct. 24,  “Bio of Prof. Jason Brennan,” posted on the Georgetown University Web site at: Retrieved on Oct. 29,