British democracy is blighted by low and unequal turnout. The last general election saw overall turnout of registered voters fall to 59.8%, and this number masks stark disparities in turnout rates on the basis of class, race, age, and housing tenure.
These disparities in electoral turnout are creating warped incentives for governments, which are pushed to prioritise the interests of higher-turnout demographics over those of the public at large. The consequences of these warped incentives are policies that contribute to high inequality and low economic growth.
As a result, the problem of low and unequal turnout in elections risks trapping British politics in a spiral of stagnation and discontent, ultimately threatening the long-term health of our democracy.
This report, authored by Dr David Klemperer, makes the case for the introduction of “Australian-style” compulsory voting for UK general elections, to be enforced by the penalty of a small fine.
This publication presents the personal views of the author and not those of The Constitution Society, which publishes it as a contribution to debate on this important subject.