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Compulsory voting
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=== Compelled speech === Another concern expressed about compulsory voting is that it would compel speech, which violates [[freedom of speech]] which includes the freedom ''not'' to speak.<ref>Note, ''The Case for Compulsory Voting in the United States'', 121 Harv. L. Rev. 591, 601β603 (2007). Harvard is one of several law schools at which students may submit articles for publication in the school's [[law review]] but only anonymously in the form of "Notes" (with a capital "N").</ref> Former Australian opposition leader [[Mark Latham]] urged Australians to lodge blank votes for the 2010 election. He stated the government should not force citizens to vote or threaten them with a fine.<ref>{{cite web |date=12 August 2010 |title=Latham at Large |url=http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/stories/7944020/latham-at-large |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306032335/http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/stories/7944020/latham-at-large |archive-date=6 March 2012 |access-date=2011-10-04 |publisher=[[Nine Network|Channel Nine]]}}</ref> At the [[2013 Australian federal election|2013 federal election]], considering the threat of a non-voting fine of up to A$20,<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Eldridge |first1=Stacey |last2=2022 β 12:05 pm |date=2022-05-20 |title=Revealed: The fine for failing to vote in the election |url=https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/federal-election/australians-warned-of-20-fine-for-failing-to-vote-in-this-years-federal-election/news-story/ec396d78daa36d7039a347e13eed7ed1 |access-date=2023-01-14 |website=skynews |language=en}}</ref> there was a turnout of 92%,<ref>{{cite web |title=Turnout by State |url=http://vtr.aec.gov.au/HouseTurnoutByState-17496.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018062613/http://vtr.aec.gov.au/HouseTurnoutByState-17496.htm |archive-date=18 October 2015 |access-date=28 March 2018 |publisher=[[Australian Electoral Commission]]}}</ref> of whom 6% lodged either informal or blank ballot papers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Informal Votes by State |url=http://vtr.aec.gov.au/HouseInformalByState-17496.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914010104/http://vtr.aec.gov.au/HouseInformalByState-17496.htm |archive-date=14 September 2016 |access-date=28 March 2018 |publisher=[[Australian Electoral Commission]]}}</ref> Systems in democratic countries, which have a secret ballot, allow for blank ballots, but voting systems could also add a 'none of the above' option to each race so as to provide multiple clear ways for voters to refrain from speaking/voting if, for some reason, a voter does not want to submit a partially or fully blank ballot.<ref name=":62"/>
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