Australia has has compulsory voting for a long time.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/22/world/australia/compulsory-voting.html
“Australians are induced to vote with both sticks and carrots. Shirkers can be fined up to nearly 80 Australian dollars if they fail to show at the polls. But voting, which always takes place on a Saturday, is also made easy and efficient, and is often accompanied by a community barbecue that includes eating what locals affectionately call “democracy sausages.” “
“...and is often accompanied by a community barbecue that includes eating what locals affectionately call “democracy sausages.”
The Navy (and other sea services) would call the representation of these “democracy sausages” the “fid.” As in “criky, we sure got the fid last election” in American parlance the term buggered would be unnecessary as “getting the fid” explains the allusion more than adequately.
Australia is apples and oranges.
They have a tiny population compared to ours, and when that law was written it was much, much smaller. There was legitimate concern about small, organized bands of Nazis, Communists and other whackos winning power in low-turnout elections.
This thing is just a way to guarantee that Democrats never lose one again.