English Essay on Manditory Voting

A democracy is defined as a system of government by which all the eligible members of a state are able to elect representatives, usually through a vote. In a democratic society, voting is a right given to the citizens and usually remains voluntary. So does mandatory voting limit   the rights of the people? The concept of mandatory voting is a relevant topic that is heavily disputed over its legality. Although voting is not forced in the United States of America, other countries have started to change their policies so that every citizens will partake in all elections. While some maintain that mandatory elections is justified, forced voting limits the individual and democratic rights of the people.
The reason that people vote is to nominate officials that will best represent their ideals and make positive changes to society. When government's mandate that all citizens take part in the elections, some voters only focus on "fulfill[ing] their civic duty"in order to avoid fines or other punishments; rather than taking part in the election so they they are able to voice their opinions. According to Peter Barry "coercing everyone [to vote]... makes little to no difference on the final outcome"; so why should a law be created that would burden people in society and have no significant affect on the election itself (Text 4 lines 34-35)? In addition, countries without forced voting also have politicians that have to "fight for the welfare of the poor and uneducated" since there votes are not guaranteed. (text 4 lines 24-25). If a person wants to vote for a politician that embodies their opinion, then they have the option to vote for this individual. In contrast, William A. Galston arguments that mandatory elections would address the issue of a lack of voters and "even out disparities stemming from income, education, and age" (text 1 lines 39-40). However this technique "should never be used to [tackle] the root of political disengagement" (text 3 line 37). . Finally,...