Canada should be like Australia and make it Illegal to Not Vote

This document presents an argument in favor of making it illegal to not vote in Canada, drawing comparisons to Australia's mandatory voting system. It discusses the importance of exercising democratic rights and the accurate reflection of voters' wishes. The document also presents counterarguments against mandatory voting, emphasizing individual freedom and the right to abstain from elections. Overall, the arguments in favor of making it illegal to not vote prevail.

Running Head: GOVERNMENT RELATIONS. 1
CANADA SHOULD BE LIKE AUSTRALIA AND MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO NOT VOTE.
Name:
Institution:
Date:

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS. 2
Canada should be like Australia and make it Illegal to Not Vote.
Argument in favour of the statement.
Each and every individual has a sole responsibility of making their voice heard
through the process of voting by electing those who they want in power. The constitution of
each and every country gives the citizens who have met the required stipulations by law, a
right to exercise their democratic right through the ballot. It is therefore, unimaginable that
some of the citizens can voluntarily decides not to vote.
Firstly, the right to vote is enshrined in the constitution and all the citizens who are
eligible to vote are given that opportunity to exercise their democratic right through the
ballot. The number of citizens who do not vote in Canada elections is increasingly becoming
bigger and bigger, these in future would create a constitutional crisis that might result to
citizens being deprived the right to vote because they no longer practice the right (Wauters,
2017). Secondly, the reason why mandatory voting should be enforced in Canada is because
the bigger the number of voter turnout, the accurate and true reflection of the voters wish and
aspiration. The little the number of voters it simply reflects that most citizens are disgruntled
and therefore the reason as to why they failed to exercise their democratic right of voting
(Singh, 2018). Thirdly, the constitution gives the people power to choose their leaders. The
leaders are regarded as the supreme persons in a country but many forget that the citizens of a
country are the most supreme because they have the powers to elect a leader and also power
not to elect a leader through ballot (Singh, 2018).
Argument against the statement.
Firstly, the citizens of a country have the right to make choices and abstaining from
election is one of the choices. They might have several reasons including disliking the
contenders in that particular election, they might be caring a little about the issues being
voted on (de Leon, 2016). Their various reasons should remain private, as forcing them to

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS. 3
vote will be infringing their private life. Every individual in a country has the right to
freedom and it contradicting and encroaching on someone private life when the government
will start to force the citizens to forcefully participate in an election (de Leon, 2016).
Secondly, forcing the citizens of a country to participate in an election is an illegality in any
election process, this is because the constitution stipulates that each individual should
voluntarily take part in an election and should not that under undue influence, by forcing once
to do something against their wish exacerbate the situation. The freedom of speech is
restricted when voter is forced to vote, because the freedom also gives the citizen the right
not to speak at all. A government is supposed to serve the interest for the people, of the
people and by the people will definitely lose the meaning should a country enforce the rule of
mandatory voting by the people (Singh S. P., 2016).
In conclusion, the arguments in favour of the statement prevail over the argument
against the statement. It is therefore, the duty of each and every individual as responsible
citizen to take the elective rights as a serious activity in a country and elect responsible
leaders to lead the country to prosperity

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS. 4
References
de Leon, F. L. (2016). Does forced voting result in political polarization? Public Choice,
166(2), 143-160.
Singh, S. P. (2016). Compulsory voting and dissatisfaction with democracy. British Journal
of Political Science, 1-12.
Singh, S. P. (2018). Compulsory voting and voter information seeking. Research & Politics,
5(1).
Wauters, B. &. (2017). Forced to vote, but not for women. The effect of compulsory voting
on voting for women. Acta Politica, 1-19.