Well, you would imagine that rights carry responsibilities, but that's not so in most cases. Vote is seen as both a right and a privilege, but not as duty. However, those people who decide to vote should not be robbed of their vote by those who choose not to bother, by having the elections invalidated. That creates even more voter apathy and sense of impotence. It creates a passive-aggressive culture that leads to polarization and eventulaly violence -- and the Balkans is as good at that as it gets.
I think forcing people to vote is wrong. Chasing people down for voting absence creates unnecessary bureacracy. Computers should simply drop irrepsonsible voters from an active to an inactive status and make those who wish to be reactivated pay for it.
here voting is counted by hand and there is no computer voting.
Voting to me is a duty to this society. It is a very small duty. There are many duties you can avoid but not this one.
As for the Balkans the people are so sick of them it is amazing. It is not that the society is backwards but it is too much disapointed with any kind of elections.