What is compulsory voting in Australia?

Compulsory voting in Australia is the legal requirement that every Australian citizen aged 18 or over must enrol on the electoral roll and vote at every federal, state, and territory election. The requirement is enforced by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) at federal level and by state and territory electoral commissions at their respective levels.

Compulsory voting was introduced for federal elections in 1924 by the Bruce-Page Coalition government, after turnout had fallen to 58 per cent at the 1922 election. The change lifted turnout immediately to over 90 per cent and it has remained there ever since. Australia is one of about 22 countries worldwide with compulsory voting, and one of only about a dozen that actively enforces it. The penalty for not voting is a fine (starting at 20 dollars at federal level), administered through a notice process by the AEC.

Several arguments support compulsory voting. It ensures that elected governments have the demonstrated support of the whole electorate, not just engaged minorities. It increases the legitimacy of election outcomes. It encourages parties to develop policies that appeal to a broad range of voters rather than targeting only highly engaged supporters. It supports moderate politics and reduces the influence of extremist movements that depend on low turnout to win elections. Australia consistently ranks among the world's most stable and high-functioning democracies partly because of the broad participation that compulsory voting produces.

Some criticisms have been raised. Critics argue that compulsory voting forces ignorant or uninformed voters to cast ballots, that it produces informal votes (about 5 to 6 per cent of House ballots are informal at federal elections), and that the right not to vote should be respected. Periodic proposals to abolish compulsory voting have not gained mainstream support across the major Australian political parties. Most Australians appear to support the system: surveys consistently find around 70 per cent in favour of retaining compulsory voting, with support strongest among older voters and Labor voters. The Australian model has influenced debate about compulsory voting in other Commonwealth countries.