Should voting be mandatory? Policy Lessons from Peru

Voter turnout in the 2018 presidential elections in Colombia was 54%. On the same year, turnout in the Mexican federal election was 63%. These are not exceptions, as electoral participation has been falling worldwide for the past several decades, which raises concerns about the representativeness of elected officials and the legitimacy of electoral outcomes. Making voting compulsory and ensuring adequate enforcement appear to be plausible and appealing policy remedies.

Join fellow Harris alumni and admitted students for our annual brunch and lecture featuring Luis Martinez, Assistant Professor, Harris Public Policy. Professor Martinez will discuss the existing evidence on the effectiveness of compulsory voting and present findings from ongoing research on voters’ response to changes in the fine for electoral abstention in Peru. The analysis illustrates the challenges and limitations of compulsory voting. 

At this event, you will also have the opporunity to meet participants of the 
Policy Immersion Trip to Mexico City.

Saturday, July 27, 2019
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Hyatt Regency Mexico City
Campos Eliseos No. 204 Polanco Chapultepec
Mexico City, Mexico, 11560

Please RSVP by July 25.