Clarification/Follow-up by tomder55 on 05/14/04 8:02 am:
In a free country it is a basic right to be left alone; to be allowed to live one's own life within the law but otherwise unmolested, and to take no interest in policies at all except by choice.
A person should be free to participate in the electoral and political process whenever he or she wishes to, and to ignore it equally without having to account to government or courts.In the U.S itwould be a violation of the First Amendment to make voting compulsory in my opinion. Freedom of speech allows Americans to not speak at all in favor of any candidate,or an issue .By not showing they are making a statement. You have a right to franchise ,not a duty to exercise it.

I am more interested in hearing how a democratic supposedly free country can even justify making it mandantory .For what purpose? To make it easier on the candidates during an election cycle ;knowing that they do not have to persuade the electorate because many of them vote straight party line ?

Clarification/Follow-up by picassocat on 05/15/04 3:58 pm:
Sure, compulsory voting could be seen as an infringement of liberty. The state does not have the right to compel a person to vote for a candidate with whom he does not agree or in whom he does not believe in.

However, on the other hand, democratic government means majority rule and the expression of an opinion by a majority of electors. Further, voting is alalogous to other duties society requires of citizens, such as giving evidence in court proceedings, paying rates, compulsory education etc. Compulsion would encourage political education and the franchise had been fought for, and therefore should be used. You could also argue that as individuals' liberty consists in exemption from legal control, so political liberty consists in participation in legal control. Furthermore, the quality of legislation coming from legislatures elected by a minority vote would deteriorate, whereas 'the fact that legislation was considered my members representing a greater number of people hitherto would have a good effect on the community".

There are arguments on both sides, I'm not sure which way I swing at the moment.