This article published by the Pew Research Center is by Aidan Connaughton and Shannon Schumacher. They examine what European think about mandatory voting as against American perception of such a rule. Here is an excerpt:
Around two-thirds of adults in Germany, France and the United Kingdom say it is important for their national government to make voting compulsory for all citizens. But views in the United States are much more divided, according to a survey conducted in the four countries in the fall of 2020.
None of the four surveyed countries currently have mandatory voting measures in place, but Germany, France and the UK all require citizens to register to vote. Worldwide, 27 countries have compulsory voting laws, according to the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA).
Among the countries surveyed, mandatory voting is most popular in Germany, where 66% of adults say it is important for the national government to require all citizens to vote – including 43% who say it is very important. French adults show similar support for such a policy, with 39% saying it is very important and 26% saying it is somewhat important. In the UK, 63% say it is important for the government to mandate voting for all citizens, including 37% who say it is very important.
Read the full article here.
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