Great article. I disagree that countries like Argentina or Brazil or Singapore are less worthy of our comparison because of compulsory voting. However, yes, the donkey vote is a drag on democratic process. It is a legal obligation when it should be a right. Good on you for sharing this article

Compulsory voting is undemocratic, and cruel to the disinterested. The awful politicians we have is a sure sign that at least half the population is not interested in democracy. That half wouldn't vote if they were not forced to, and the rest of us, and the country, would be much better off.

Less than 40% of the dragooned-into-voting don't understand the equally undemocratic compulsory preferential system either.

The only way to put a stop to the authoritarianism of compulsory voting is to hold a non-compulsory referendum; but we will never get that without citizen initiated referenda - something else we are denied by our elected dictators.

Yeah disenfranchisement the only way the CONservatives can win.

If Australia goes back to a National Service, voting will reflect vastly different results, also voting is literally the tiniest responsibility for a citizen to uphold. Voluntary voting would be a far greater disaster in Australia than what is on place now !

DL has a vested interest in voting, he stood in at several elections. His best result was his election to the Senate through the deceptive use of the name Liberal, and a quirky distribution of preferences, along with good luck on the ballot paper. His only tilt at a lower house seat was in 2007 against Little Johnny Howard in Bennelong where he scored 89 votes, seems he didn't run last, some other lunatic got less votes, less than 89!

Anyway, you don't have to vote, just get your name crossed off the electoral roll. Of the about 5% who vote informal about half show an intention of a formal vote, but stuff it up by such things as writing their name on the paper, not correctly numbering the squares, using ticks and crosses.

As for saying people vote for the candidate with the nicest teeth or hair style, why not. I'm sure a photogenic person has a better chance of getting elected than a bloke who looks like Uncle Fester!

Anyway, you don't have to vote, just get your name crossed off the electoral roll.

I'm not sure when or where I heard or read about that informal votes actually get automatically added to the votes of the incumbent ! if that's so indeed then it is clear why Paul1405 is sounding so flippant about it.
As I said I'm not sure but Paul1405 will definitely correct me if I'm wrong.