> If your point is that you'll eventually go to jail, after many years of warnings and chances to pay This may be the case in principle, but in practice I actu

> If your point is that you'll eventually go to jail, after many years of warnings and chances to pay This may be the case in principle, but in practice I actually don't think this is enforced here in Australia. Last time I neglected to vote in local government elections (because I legitimately didn't know they were on), I got a letter seeking an explanation, then a $20-ish fine, then no further correspondence and no credit record strike or any further consequences. (I think that may have been because The Greens won that election and they weren't interested in chasing people over tiny fines). Here's a story of what happened to someone who didn't vote in the last federal election: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-08/what-happens-when-you-dont-vote-in-a-federal-election/8786684 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-08/what-happens-when-you... And yes I get that if after multiple court summonses and defiant refusals to appear or pay, you could theoretically end up being hauled off to jail, but I don't think this has ever happened in Australia. I can imagine a magistrate just ending up rolling their eyes and saying "oh fine, go away". But the "compulsoriness" of voting here does mean that more people pay attention and take politics seriously, and politicians have to try address the needs of the entire population and not play games relating to people's willingness or ability to vote. That said, it is not compulsory to lodge a valid vote, and drawing genitalia on the ballot paper is a socially acceptable form of voting.