To be effective, punishment for nonvoters cannot be trivial or merely symbolic.
Possibility of Jail Time for Non-Voters is Undemocratic, JMR
Rovensky, Jan. Voting A Citizens Right, or Duty The Case against Compulsory Voting.
Guido Carli Free International University for Social Studies. 2007. Pg 95.
Probably the strongest impact of compulsory voting laws is the possibility to end up behind bars as a result of nonvoting. Though CV supporters point out that, for example in Australia, if someone does end up in jail, it is because they did not pay the allocated fine, not because they did not vote, tome this sounds as mere wordplay. The fact of the matter is that the principle remains the same, regardless for what reason the individual question is sent to jail – his incarceration will somehow be connected to the fact of not voting. Lever (2007: 19) duly points out, that it is a predictable consequence of compulsory voting that people will go to prison, and end up with a criminal record, either because they cannot or will not pay the fine for nonvoting If we consider the case of Australia, after the election in 1993 at least 43 nonvoters received a jail sentence as a result of this Bennett 2005: 7); some cases make the news if the protagonists are vociferous enough.
However, Australia is not the only country, where voters may end up behind bars in Greece, Cyprus and the Philippines it is possible to be incarcerated as a direct consequence for non-voting.
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