強制投票
Although voting is a basic right in all democracies, it is not something that is required of the citizens of all of them.
雖然在所有民主國家中投票是基本的權利，但不是所有國家都要求公民投票。
right(n.)權利democracy(n.)民主,民主國家
In places like the United States, voting is not mandatory. Therefore, even in the 2020 presidential election, which saw the highest turnout of voters ever, only 66.9% of eligible voters cast their ballots.
像是在美國，投票就是非強制性的。因此，即使是有史以來投票率最高的2020年總統大選，也只有66.9%符合資格的選民去投票。
president(n.)總統；presidential(adj.)總統的turnout(n.)投票人數,出席人數eligible(adj.)有資格的cast one’s ballot 在選舉中投票
In order to make sure that a higher percentage of citizens are involved in the political process, some countries have laws for compulsory voting.
為了確保有更高比例的公民能參與政治，有些國家有強制投票的法律。
be(get) involved in sth. 涉入,參加~compulsory education 義務教育
As of December 2021, there were 21 countries with rules in place requiring citizens to vote.
截至2021年12月為止，有21個國家有規定公民投票的法規。
as of 自……起；截至……為止
Laws in these countries make it mandatory for citizens of certain ages to vote on election days as a means of encouraging larger numbers of voters to participate in elections.
這些國家的法律強制要求一定年齡的公民在選舉當天投票，以鼓勵更多選民參與投票。
means(n.)手段,方法
However, some places allow voters to cast a blank vote by not choosing any candidates.
然而，有些地方允許選民投下空白票，不選擇任何一位參選人。
blank (adj.)空白的candidate (n.)候選人,參選人,求職者
Despite the nearly two dozen countries with compulsory voting, only 10 actively enforce the laws.
雖然有將近24個國家有強制投票的規定，但其中只有10個國家會積極地強制執行法規。
despite (prep.)儘管enforce (v.)強制執行
Penalties for not voting include monetary fines, in countries like Australia and Brazil, or the government withholding salary, like in Bolivia.
不投票的處罰包括罰款，像是澳洲和巴西，或是在玻利維亞則是政府會扣留薪資。
penalty (n.)懲罰,罰款,罰球；death penalty 死刑monetary(adj.)金錢的,貨幣的；monetary policy 貨幣政策withhold(v.)拒絕給與,扣留
Due to this kind of law, Australia boasts one of the world’s highest voter turnout rates, with nearly 92% of voters participating in the 2019 election.
因為這種法律，澳洲是世界上投票率最高的國家之一，將近92%的選民參與2019年的選舉。
boast (v.)擁有(值得驕傲的東西),吹噓,誇耀