Mandatory Voting Compulsory

Is voting a right or an obligation? If it is a right, do we treat it as such? If it is an obligation, should we be forced to fulfill it? “Voting is not an intrinsic obligation and the enforcement of such a law would be an infringement of the citizen’s freedom associated with democratic elections.” (Text 3) Voting should not be compulsory in the United States. It subverts Democracy, as well as violates the First Amendment's prohibition of compelled speech, and increases the number of uneducated voters.
Headmost, Mandatory voting subverts democracy. The definition of democracy is government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. This means that the people are free to choose. Voting by the mandatory method does not allow you make a choice. moreover, some may believe that it does not matter what they choose because it would not make a difference in the “big picture” of America. “Quality rather than quantity should be the focus of a …show more content…
“The voter does not care whom they vote for as long as the government is satisfied they they have fulfilled their civic duty.” (Text 2) Some believe that mandatory voting is a good thing because citizens are more involved in political life. Provided while you may get more participation, you do not get more education. Forcing people to vote does not mean that they’re more involved: they may even be less involved. “It may discourage the political education of the electorate because people forced to participate will react against the perceived source of oppression.” (Text 2) Forced participation does result in more active citizen, yes, but that is not what we need. “Democracies don’t just need active citizens; They need educated and active citizens.” (Text