In most democracies, voting is a right that citizens are free not to exercise. In roughly two dozen countries with mandatory voting, however, participating in elections is a legal requirement, sometimes enforced with real penalties.
Countries That Legally Require Voting
- Australia — one of the most well-known and consistently enforced examples, with fines for citizens who don’t vote without a valid excuse
- Belgium — has had mandatory voting since 1893, among the longest-running systems in the world
- Brazil — mandatory for citizens aged 18 to 70, optional outside that range
- Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Uruguay — mandatory voting is common across much of South America
- Singapore, Thailand, and North Korea — mandatory in varying forms with differing levels of actual enforcement
- Luxembourg, Cyprus, and Bulgaria (nominally) — also maintain mandatory voting laws
See government and population data for any of these countries on our Rankings page.
How Mandatory Voting Is Actually Enforced
Enforcement varies enormously. Australia and Belgium impose real, collectible fines for unexcused non-voting, which is a major reason both countries consistently post voter turnout rates above 90%. Many other countries with mandatory voting laws on the books rarely or never actually enforce penalties, which is why turnout in those countries can be much closer to what’s seen in countries with no such requirement at all.
The Argument For and Against
Supporters argue mandatory voting produces governments with a genuine popular mandate and reduces the influence of highly motivated, ideologically extreme voters over more moderate citizens who might otherwise stay home. Critics argue it infringes on the basic freedom not to participate and can produce uninformed or random voting simply to avoid a fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which major democracy has mandatory voting?
Australia is the best-known example of a major democracy with strictly enforced mandatory voting, including fines for non-compliance.
What happens if you don’t vote in Australia?
Eligible voters who don’t vote without a valid reason face a fine, though it is relatively small — the deterrent effect and civic norm matter as much as the penalty itself.
Is voting mandatory in the United States?
No — voting is a right in the United States but is not legally required at the federal level.
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