Hoon backs compulsory voting
Compulsory voting should be introduced to “breathe new life” into the political process in Britain, the leader of the House of Commons said today.
Geoff Hoon said giving people a legal obligation to vote would ensure the higher turnout required to ensure a “representative, healthy and vibrant democracy in this country”, although he stressed that they should still be allowed to spoil their ballot paper.
Speaking to the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), Mr Hoon said parliament had to address the widespread distrust in politicians and re-engage people’s sense of citizenship.
Outlining his personal view of how civic participation could be improved in Britain, he said people must be brought into the political process “to show that there is such a thing as society”.
Penalties for not voting would be enforced in the same way as seat belt legislation, where only a few cases a year would need to be brought to ensure everyone participated. Alternatively, those who voted could receive a discount on their council tax bills, he said.
“In our democratic processes, although we have made very good progress in recent years, I do not believe the reforms we have made to electoral procedures have yet delivered the fundamental breakthrough in voter engagement and participation that is required today,” he said.
Mr Hoon said that moves towards online registration and online and text message voting would improve voter participation, but he had “yet to be convinced” that proportional representation could help, saying it removed the vital link between voter and constituency.
“Evidence from around the world suggests that the countries with the highest turnouts in elections require their citizens to participate in democratic elections,” he concluded.
Mr Hoon added: “In many ways, it is the logical extension of the legal demand we place on citizens to register to vote.
“And I believe it will make campaigning in election periods more healthy and more engaging. Ensuring that political parties must talk to everyone – not just the chattering classes or those who are likely to vote.”
However, shadow secretary of state for constitutional affairs Oliver Heald rejected Mr Hoon’s call, saying politicians should be able to entice people to vote with the power of their ideas, not through coercion.
“Electronic voting is even more insecure than all-postal voting, and local election pilots have shown it to be both expensive and ineffective at increasing turnout,” he said.
“There is little public support to make it a criminal offence not to vote. At a time when anti-social behaviour and violent crime is out of control, the police have better things to do. The challenge for politicians is to excite electors with their ideas.”
