Elections are an important way for people to express their views about
government. For a
nation to be a democracy, every eligible adult citizen should have the right to
vote. Governments that do not offer their citizens a chance to vote freely are
not generally viewed as real democracies. Voting is key to civic participation
in a democratic society. Yet in the United States and other democracies, many
adults choose not to vote; for example, in the 2004 American presidential
election, fewer than 60 percent of eligible voters cast ballots. In response,
people who are concerned about voter turnout have proposed a number of ways to
increase citizen voting in elections. The most dramatic proposal is requiring
people to vote. This practice is called compulsory voting.
This unit explores whether voting should be compulsory in a democracy. It
presents an overview of voting and its role in the United States and other
democratic governments. It illustrates the idea of compulsory voting with
examples from countries which follow this practice, and it includes the
arguments of those who support and oppose compulsory voting. It also presents a
discussion model called "structured academic controversy" for exploring the
facts, arguments, and options surrounding these issues.
Focus Questions
Should voting be compulsory in our democracy?
Objectives
Discuss the importance of voting in democratic societies.
Learn how compulsory voting works in democratic countries that use it.
Analyze the reasons for supporting and opposing compulsory voting.
Identify areas of agreement and disagreement with other students
Decide, individually and as a group, whether compulsory voting is a necessary
democratic reform; support decisions based on evidence and sound reasoning.
Reflect on the value of deliberation when deciding issues in a democracy.