Who casts blank or spoiled ballots under mandatory voting? This study identifies politically unengaged, distrusting, disaffected individuals as driving increased invalid balloting in countries with compulsory voting. A key finding reveals that these voters turn out primarily to avoid sanctions for abstention rather than participate meaningfully. Why It Matters: The results suggest voter engagement campaigns might help mitigate this problem.

📊 Data & Methods

Survey data from several American democracies, many of which compel electoral participation, were analyzed at the individual level to examine how compulsory voting influences invalid balloting rates.

🔍 Key Findings

• Higher rates of blank/spoiled ballots occur in countries with compulsory voting systems.
• These higher rates are linked to voters who lack political knowledge or interest (the politically unengaged).
• Voters who distrust the system and feel disaffected also disproportionately use invalid options.

💡 Significance

This research demonstrates how mandatory voting can interact unexpectedly with public sentiment.