A Duty to Vote
Ontario’s most recent provincial election had a voter turnout of 45.4%. That’s an improvement over the record-low 44% in 2022, but it’s still a dismal number—one that should be setting off alarms. We are, by choice or by apathy, allowing barely half the population to decide elections. And that’s not even factoring in the people who are eligible to vote but aren’t registered.
This isn’t a uniquely Canadian problem, but there is a uniquely effective solution: mandatory voting.
Australia figured this out a century ago. Since 1924, voting has been a legal obligation, backed by a minor fine (about $20 AUD) for non-participation. Turnout in Australia consistently hovers around 90%, which isn’t just a number—it’s a sign of a healthier democracy. If voting is the backbone of democratic governance, then Australia has the posture of an Olympic gymnast while Canada is slouching into a political coma.
The idea of forcing people to vote rubs some Canadians the wrong way. It gets tangled up in debates about personal freedom, with some arguing that the right to vote also includes the right to abstain. But to an extent, freedom ends where obligation begins, and we accept civic obligations all the time—paying taxes, serving on juries, stopping at red lights. Democracy doesn’t function without participation, and participation shouldn’t be optional.
That said, mandatory voting doesn’t mean forced choice. Australians are free to spoil their ballots, and Canada could take it a step further by adding a formal “none of the above” option. I believe that the issue is less who you vote for—it’s that you show up.
Of course, implementing this in Canada wouldn’t be easy. Politically, it would face resistance from parties that benefit from low turnout. Culturally, it would require reframing voting from an occasional civic chore to a core responsibility. Legally, it could spark constitutional challenges. But none of these obstacles are insurmountable.
A smart approach would be to start with incremental changes: automatic voter registration, improved accessibility (including online voting), and making election day a holiday or, at the very least, a national event. Australia has the famous “Democracy Sausage” tradition, where voting day doubles as a community BBQ. Maybe Canada needs its own version—a “Ballot BeaverTail” or “Poutine for Participation” initiative.
Regardless of the specifics, the end goal should be clear: higher turnout, greater political legitimacy, and a democracy that actually represents the majority. Optional voting has given us decades of declining participation. I think that maybe it’s time to try something new.
