The government’s long-awaited proposals for electoral reforms, published last month, will receive their first scrutiny in the House of Commons next Monday. Ahead of that debate, Alan Renwick analys…
What do you think massive fines for not voting would accomplish, making voting mandatory, out of curiosity? How did it change Australia’s outcomes? I think they have mandatory voting.
As an aside I don’t see fines as a very fair way to influence behavior. The system of exchanging things for money is so corrupted and broken, that it means little to those with it, and is ruinous to those without. What are you going to lock them up if they can’t pay those fines? Garnish their meager wages? Seize their bank accounts or assets?
Seems like there could be better ways, or at the very least to charge fines based on net worth and not a flat fee, or force them to work charity hours?
What do you think massive fines for not voting would accomplish, making voting mandatory, out of curiosity? How did it change Australia’s outcomes? I think they have mandatory voting.
As an aside I don’t see fines as a very fair way to influence behavior. The system of exchanging things for money is so corrupted and broken, that it means little to those with it, and is ruinous to those without. What are you going to lock them up if they can’t pay those fines? Garnish their meager wages? Seize their bank accounts or assets?
Seems like there could be better ways, or at the very least to charge fines based on net worth and not a flat fee, or force them to work charity hours?
Fines based on net worth/income.
As for turnout, Australia’s mandatory voting system easily overshadowed the UK turnout:
2025 Australia federal election: 90.7% 2024 UK general election: 59.9%
The Au fine for not voting is only 20AUD, but I feel that they vote on Saturdays and employers have to give paid leave for voting helps the most.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx20gy2lz4go