Every eligible voter in Britain should be forced to cast a ballot, the Constitution Society has said, warning that plummeting turnouts are fuelling the rise of right-wing populists.
The educational charity said “disastrously low” turnout as seen at the last general election (59.7 per cent) is undermining democracy and leaving the young and working class unrepresented.
And it said Australian-style compulsory voting would redress the imbalance, forcing MPs and the government to pay attention to the interests of young people and renters.
Just 59.7 per cent of those eligible to vote cast a ballot last July, a significant drop from the 2019 general election (67.3 per cent) and the lowest level since 2001 (59.4 per cent).
The Constitution Society warned Britain is trapped in “a vicious cycle of unequal turnout, economic stagnation, political disillusionment, and democratic decay – a cycle that is creating the conditions in which right-wing populism can flourish”.
Its report found that low turnout rewards politicians for pursuing policies that entrench inequality and reduce economic growth, exacerbating dissatisfaction with the democratic process.
Report Author Dr David Klemperer warned that “low and unequal turnout have left the UK with an unrepresentative electorate”. Dr Klemperer said voters are disproportionately richer, older and whiter than the population as a whole.
“This has created warped incentives for politicians who are pushed to disproportionately prioritise the interests of an economically insulated minority,” he added.
YouGov polling for the charity found that almost half (48 per cent) of the public would back mandatory voting being rolled out, compared with 42 per cent who would be opposed.
Seven in 10 worry that politicians are ignoring the interests of groups seen as less likely to vote, it found.
And political science professor Rob Ford said voters being forced to cast a ballot would “have a big and largely positive impact on elections in the UK”.
He said: “Currently, age and housing status are the strongest predictors of turnout, with older homeowners by far the most likely to vote. By reducing disparities in turnout, compulsory voting will force politicians to pay more attention to the interests of young people and renters.”
And Labour MP Antonia Bance, whose constituency had the fifth lowest turnout at the last general election, said she “understands the damage low turnout does to democracy”.
Ms Bance said: “Low turnout means we don’t take account of younger and ethnic minority voters’ views equally, and leads to the chronic underrepresentation of the working class and its interests.
“Compulsory voting will redress the balance, make sure working-class voices are properly heard, and change our politics for the better.”
Since 1924 Australians have been legally required to enrol to vote in national elections, following a fall in turnout at the 1922 federal election. They are fined $20 if they fail to turn up. As a result, turnout has been as high as 96 per cent in some elections and has never dropped below 91 per cent since mandatory voting was introduced.
The government was asked to comment.
