Compelled Turnout and Democratic Turnout: Why They Are Different

Abstract

One strategy in defence of compulsory voting is based on what I call the non-instrumental value of high turnout: the idea that almost-universal participation in elections is valuable per se. This article argues that we do not have democratic reasons to value compelled turnout. First, thanks to an original analysis of the practice of voting, I identify three constitutive rules that make the physical acts of marking and casting a ballot count as proper voting. This preliminary analysis serves to illuminate the fact that the act of voting has democratic value if it is performed in a free and reason-responsive way. Second, I identify political equality and popular control as democratic values that high turnout expresses. Finally, the article rejects the non-instrumental case for compulsory voting because it cannot ensure that people vote in a reason-responsive way and, if they do not, high turnout lacks democratic value.

Transforming the voting process integrating blockchain into e-voting for enhanced transparency and securiy

“…Utilized in a wide range of contexts, spanning from corporate environments to national arenas, it serves as a highly effective instrument for facilitating democratic decision-making processes. Throughout history, the act of voting has served as a fundamental means for individuals to express their preferences and make choices [17]. E-voting pertains to the contemporary method of employing information technology to streamline the process of voting.…”