A recent investigation from the University of Georgia discovered that even unenforced, or “toothless,” mandatory voting regulations can enhance voter participation.
Governments globally are exploring strategies to address low voter engagement. This research indicates that merely instituting a mandatory voting regulation — without applying any consequences on individuals who fail to attend the polls — may significantly alter civic engagement.
Based on an unusual natural experiment in the Indian state of Karnataka, the research revealed that the 2015 implementation of a non-penalized mandatory voting law resulted in a 6.5 to 14 percentage point rise in voter participation during local village elections.
“We observe clear indications that individuals react to the law, even in the absence of enforcement,” explained Shane Singh, the lead author of the study and the Joshua W. Jones Professor of Public and International Affairs in the UGA School of Public and International Affairs. “It reinforces the notion that laws serve an expressive role: They mold norms and behaviors even when there are no penalties involved.”
Mandatory voting: A more compassionate approach to fortify democracy
This research emerges at a crucial moment for democracies struggling with persistently low voter participation.
Unlike more severe models employed in other regions, Singh’s outcomes suggest that a “gentler approach” might still yield positive results.
“There’s no need to penalize individuals to motivate voting,” Singh clarified. “At times, simply making voting compulsory, even without enforcement, suffices.”
Similar to how most drivers will halt at a stop sign even when no one is present and there’s no enforcement visible, individuals often tend to adhere to laws simply because they exist, according to the researchers.
Other nations wrestle with the idea of obligatory voting
This research provides timely perspectives for lawmakers in the United States and internationally.
In recent years, several U.S. state legislatures have discussed compulsory voting bills with various degrees of enforcement, including none at all.
On the international front, some countries impose severe penalties on nonvoters, while others apply no repercussions for abstention. Chile’s legislature, for instance, is presently considering whether to introduce enforcement mechanisms to its own compulsory voting law.
“Our results should inspire governments to consider unenforced compulsory voting as a legitimate, moderate policy,” Singh remarked. “It’s a practical option for enhancing turnout, one that promotes participation without depending on penalties or repercussions.”
The study contributes substantial new evidence to the global dialogue on how democracies can boost engagement without aggressive enforcement.
As lawmakers in the U.S. and elsewhere seek ways to increase participation, this research provides a persuasive, data-backed argument for reevaluating what it means to make voting “mandatory.”
Published in Electoral Studies, the research was co-authored by Reshikesav Rajan, a graduate of the UGA School of Public and International Affairs and a current doctoral student at Texas A&M University.
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