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Argument: Mandatory voting may increase hold of established parties

Issue Report: Compulsory voting

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“The case against compulsory voting in democracies.” Helium: “the political system in America is concentrated in two parties, with only minor successes of alternate parties. These two parties, as opposed to eight competitive parties in Australia, spend millions of dollars annually encouraging their members to vote in elections. With the implementation of compulsive voting, the political parties would instead spend those millions trying to convince non-party members of the superiority of their respective positions. Instead of saving money, the two parties would only increase in power as more members join their folds, reducing the power of smaller parties to democratically compete.”

Padraic McGuinness. “The case against compulsory voting.” Mind Trek: “the reality is that the system of compulsory voting is favoured by both the major political parties because it enables them to economise on an important element of campaigning: it obliges their loyal voters, however apathetic, to turn up to vote the party ticket without the parties having to spend anything on persuading them or on transporting them to the polling booth as happens in democracies where voting is optional. Thus it favours the established parties who have a large traditionally loyal constituency, as against minor parties and independents whose followers are likely to be much more enthusiastic.”