The Campaign for Compulsory Voting

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Voting would be compulsory under plans to be lodged at Westminster EXCLUSIVE: Lord Foulkes will table an amendment to the upcoming elections bill.

Lord Foulkes has urged the government to consider compulsory voting, and will be tabling an amendment to the upcoming Elections Bill

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politic...

Our response to the publication of the government's elections strategy:

"The Campaign for Compulsory Voting welcomes the publication of the government’s elections strategy. As the government rightly notes, the strength of our democracy depends on the level of electoral participation – and on that metric the UK is currently failing. The key reforms set out in the government’s strategy (including lowering the voting age to 16, expanding the accepted forms of voter ID, and moving towards an automated system of electoral registration) are beneficial and necessary measures that remove barriers to democratic participation. However, they fall short of what will be needed to raise turnout to democratically sustainable levels. We are therefore pleased to see the government commit to “a proactive approach to engaging citizens in our democracy”, based on a recognition that there is “far more we can and must do to connect with the millions who are eligible… but who choose not to take part in the democratic process”. For such a proactive approach to be successful, the government will need to embrace the tool of legal obligation, since compulsory voting is the only reform that has been shown internationally to be capable of radically boosting turnout. As the government develops its legislative proposals, we will therefore be stepping up our campaign for the introduction of an Australian-style system of compulsory voting for UK general elections."

Campaign for Compulsory Voting on the UK Govt's new electoral reforms:

Our response to the publication of the government's elections strategy:

The two premises underpinning the idea of compulsory voting:

Compulsory voting can save British democracy Our political crisis is grave. Muscular measures can solve it.

"[C]ompulsory voting draws on older notions of civic responsibility, active citizenship, and democracy as a system of mutual obligations. It is our duty as citizens to help ensure the healthy functioning of the democratic system from which we all benefit, and that means participating in elections."

Compulsory Voting Is Needed to Combat 'Disastrously Low' UK Turnout, Report Argues Stark turnout gaps by class, race and age are creating 'warped incentives' for politicians, new analysis suggests

🔴Compulsory Voting Is Needed to Combat ‘Disastrously Low’ UK Turnout, Report Argues

Stark turnout gaps by class, race and age are creating ‘warped incentives’ for politicians, new analysis suggests

bylinetimes.com/2025/07/10/c...

Universal Suffrage? - Campaign for Compulsory Voting This report - authored by Dr. David Klemperer, and published jointly by the Constitution Society and the Campaign for Compulsory Voting - sets out in detail the case for introducing compulsory voting ...

Our campaign launches today with the publication of a new Constitution Society report setting out how low and unequal turnout is undermining UK democracy, and why "Australian-style" compulsory voting is the most effective solution

Excellent report making a strong case for what would be imho a very beneficial reform - compulsory voting works well wherever it has been used, it would improve the health of our democracy at little cost.

Excellent report by @dmk1793.bsky.social offering a solution to the democratic deficit in the UK, part of which is due to cohort size, ageing and likelihood to #vote.

Very pleased to be quoted supporting Australian-style compulsory voting, as set out in this excellent report by David.

My constituency had one of the lowest turnouts in 2024 - if politics responds only to those who vote, working class interests will never be a priority again

British democracy is broken – and that is why we are launching the campaign for Compulsory Voting With voter turnout unequal and at a near-historic low, the Constitution Society's Dr David Klemperer makes the case for compulsory voting

Voter turnout is low, unequal, and "dangerously warping UK politics". The Constitution Society's @dmk1793.bsky.social makes the case for compulsory voting.

leftfootforward.org/2025/07/brit...

6. The British public are open to compulsory voting. YouGov polling, comissioned for the report, finds that:

- 62% are worried about low turnout
- 72% are worried about politicians ignoring low turnout groups
- 67% believe voting is a duty
- 48% support compulsory voting (with only 42% opposed)

5. The report therefore argues that the UK should introduce "Australian-style" compulsory voting, enforced by a small fine.

This is the only reform capable of boosting turnout sufficiently to break the cycle of democratic decay.

4. The report warns that the UK now risks being trapped in a vicious cycle of democratic decay, in which the political and economic consequences of low and unequal turnout exacerbate the initial problem - creating the conditions in which right-wing populism can flourish.

3. The report argues that the UK's unrepresentative electorate has created warped incentives for politicians, who have been pushed to prioritise the interests of an older, economically-insulated minority.

This has contributed to low growth, high inequality, and ultimately to political discontent.

2. The report highlights the striking disparities in turnout that exist on the basis of class, race, age, and housing status, and argues that these have left the UK with an "unrepresentative electorate"

1. The report highlights falling turning in UK general elections, which has now reached historic lows:

As research from @ippr.org recently showed, real turnout at the last election was barely more than 50%.

Universal Suffrage? - Campaign for Compulsory Voting This report - authored by Dr. David Klemperer, and published jointly by the Constitution Society and the Campaign for Compulsory Voting - sets out in detail the case for introducing compulsory voting ...

Our campaign launches today with the publication of a new Constitution Society report setting out how low and unequal turnout is undermining UK democracy, and why "Australian-style" compulsory voting is the most effective solution