Compulsory Voting: The United States Should Move from a System of Voluntary to Compulsory Voting in Its Elections in Order To: (1) Increase Voter Turnout, (2) Reduce the Prominence of Money in Campaigns, and (3) Make the Government More Reflective of the Electorate

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Voter turnout plays a crucial role in IS elections, but it has declined, resulting in representatives that are elected by only a fraction of the citizenry of the US. The US has one of the lowest voter turnouts in the world. Increased turnout is beneficial to the US in a number of ways. First, it would eliminate the effects of expensive voter mobilization campaigns, thereby reducing the role of money in campaigns. High turnout rates also produce governments that the reflective of diverse backgrounds and political views by increasing the parity in voting rates across socioeconomic groups. Lastly, increased turnout would reinvigorate politics by pushing the citizenry to become informed about political issues and candidates. …