Compulsory voting

Definition

Compulsory voting is a system where citizens are required by law to vote in elections or attend a polling place on voting day. Failure to vote can result in penalties, such as fines or community service.

Related terms

Electoral Participation:

The act of taking part in the electoral process, mainly through voting.

Voter Turnout:

The percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election.

Democracy:

A form of government in which power is vested in the hands of the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system