Should Voting Be Mandatory for All Eligible Citizens? -By Ugochukwu Divine Abia

Every election season, governments, electoral bodies and civil society organisations encourage citizens to come out and vote. Despite these efforts, many eligible voters still choose not to participate in elections. This has continued to raise an important question: should voting be made mandatory for all eligible citizens?

Voting is one of the most important rights and responsibilities of every citizen. It gives people the opportunity to choose their leaders and have a say in how their country is governed. However, when a large number of eligible voters stay away from the polls, questions are often raised about whether election results truly reflect the wishes of the people.

Those who support compulsory voting believe it would increase voter turnout and ensure that elected leaders represent a wider section of society. They argue that when more people vote, governments become more accountable because they are elected by a broader cross-section of the population rather than by only those who are politically active.

Sharing her view, Okaka Oghenevwede Lauretta, a 500-level Nursing student of Delta State University, said citizens can be encouraged to participate in elections by ensuring that the electoral process is free, fair and transparent.

According to her, when people are confident that their votes will count, they are more willing to take part in elections. She also believes that voter education, public awareness campaigns and other lawful forms of encouragement can help improve participation.

Imade Jennifer, a final-year Public Administration student of Delta State University, also believes every vote matters. She explained that elections, especially at the local and regional levels, are sometimes decided by very small margins.

She added that even in larger elections, a strong turnout from a particular community or group can influence public policy and reflect the true opinion of the people. According to her, it is the combined effect of individual votes that determines election outcomes and shapes the direction of government.

However, not everyone believes voting should be compulsory.

Okolie Chukwudi, a 200-level Mass Communication student of Delta State University, said making voting mandatory could force people who have little or no interest in politics to cast ballots, which may affect the quality of electoral decisions. He also argued that compulsory voting limits people’s freedom to choose whether or not to participate and could create additional administrative challenges for the government.

Despite these concerns, he acknowledged that mandatory voting could increase participation, strengthen democratic representation and encourage governments to pay more attention to the needs of citizens.

Emmanuel Eseosarie, a 200-level Broadcasting student of Delta State University, also believes that voting should remain a personal choice. She said citizens should not face penalties for refusing to vote, adding that government should instead focus on encouraging people through voter education and by improving confidence in the electoral process.

According to her, compulsory voting could lead some people to vote without understanding the candidates or the issues, while others may see it as a violation of their freedom of choice. Nevertheless, she pointed out that government decisions affect everyone, making it important to encourage wider participation in elections.

Orowo Prosper, a 100-level Computer Science Education student, believes compulsory voting could help strengthen democracy in Nigeria by increasing voter turnout and ensuring broader representation of citizens’ views. He added that it could also encourage greater political awareness.

However, he stressed that compulsory voting alone cannot solve Nigeria’s democratic challenges. According to him, issues such as voter education, election security and public trust in the electoral system must also be addressed for democracy to thrive.

The debate over whether voting should be mandatory for all eligible citizens continues to attract different opinions. While some believe compulsory voting would strengthen democracy by increasing participation, others insist that voting should remain a personal choice. Whatever position people take, many agree that improving public confidence in the electoral process and encouraging informed participation are essential to building a stronger democracy.