New approach key to rock the vote...

Put people first to encourage better turnout

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DEMOCRACY has been described as the worst possible system of Government - apart from all the other alternatives.

But there is no doubt that as a system of rule for free citizens it is under more pressure than it has been for a century.

In Ireland that was hammered home in last week's presidential election.

Over two million people either didn't turn up or spoiled their vote compared to the 900,000 who elected Catherine Connolly.

It has left some in the political centre fearful of the rise of extremes on the right and the left to fill the democratic vacuum.

But is there a ready-made solution that we could try which might combat both voter apathy and tackle polarisation?

Voting has been made mandatory in 26 nations around the world. In all cases it leads to massively increased turnout.

Researchers have found that unenforced compulsory voting increases turnout by 7.5% to 10%. However, enforced compulsory voting does so by 14.5% to 18.5%.