Glad to see people who take precious Democracy seriously!
In Australia, voting is actually mandatory and the country goes out of it's way to assure voting acessibility and fairness for all.
Some info from Harvard International Review;
After turning 18, every Australian is required to show up at the voting station unless a sufficient reason for not voting is provided. Historically, Australia has had impressively high voter turnout numbers after they implemented the compulsory voting practice in 1924. Since the institution of mandatory voting, Australia has always had more than 90 percent of eligible voters show up at the booths. In general elections, the numbers are similar: Australia has always had more than 89 percent of voters participate in the election after the implementation of mandatory voting.
They make it easy...
Firstly, the Australian referendum or election day is on a Saturday. For context, the largest reason behind why people did not vote in the 2022 election of the United States was cited to be busy schedules on election day—a Tuesday. The lack of free time people have on election days around the world is a significant reason behind the lower turnout. One justification behind why the United States elections were set to be on a Tuesday in the 18th century is because most of America was rural and needed time to travel to the booths, a process that could take days.
They make it fun!...
Election day in Australia has become a day for celebration instead of a task people unwillingly complete. For example, polling booths across Australia host fundraising stands from various local groups that sell snacks like “Democratic Sausages”: a tradition that motivates people (young and old) to vote because it serves as a place for gathering. Through developments, booths began offering more options including vegetarian food to create a more inclusive social event around elections. The existence of activities surrounding the elections can help to create a positive mindset towards the voting process and reduce the likelihood of individuals resenting the compulsory nature of the voting process. The mindset that is established is crucial when approaching elections since people ought to want to vote to create a strong system that prioritizes selecting the best leaders.
More info at :
https://hir.harvard.edu/compulsion-emboldens-democracy-a-deep-dive-into-australias-mandatory-voting/
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