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# Compulsory voting and fixed term elections
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/compulsory-voting-and-fixed-term-elections/
- Published: 2007-10-06T21:10:25.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:37:40.000Z
- Author: openDemocracy Supporters
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:31

**Anthony Barnett (London,** [**OK**](http://ourkingdom.opendemocracy.net/2007/05/08/hot-off-press-call-for-new-settlement/?ref=opendemocracy.net)**):** One consequence of the appalling, drawn-out spectacle of the political class getting its knickers in a collective twist as to whether an election should be snapped is that people will want them to be fixed term. It was a mistake of Brown's not to give us a date in two year's time. But without rules how can anyone disguard the opportunity of choosing one's own timing - it is just too tempting? It is also more than tempting *not to vote for the lot of them*, as increasing numbers are doing, especially younger citizens. At a recent Fabian conference called [Democracy Day](http://fabians.org.uk/events/democracy-day-07/?ref=opendemocracy.net), Fiona MacTaggert MP set out the case for compulsory voting. An aghast Suzy Dean sent openDemocracy a strong attack on Fiona which you can [read here](http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/articles/against-compulsory-voting). Fiona has [replied](http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/articles/for-compulsory-voting) with eloquence, facts and draws on her experience as an MP. Read the exchange and comment on it here. I have also done [an introduction](http://www.opendemocracy.net/blog/dliberation/) for oD's global readership, which connects the issues to the dLiberation debate on Europe as well. Do we need some constitutional rules?