Not voting in the election on 8 Feb 2026 may affect your political rights in the future because in some countries, people who do not vote face fines, bans on studying at public universities, or inability to obtain driver's licenses or passports.
Voting to elect representatives to executive or legislative bodies is a legitimate power granted to those legally eligible to vote.
Some countries regard voting as a right, while many others clearly define it as a civic duty required by law, with negative consequences for failing to comply.
For example,
In Australia, under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, subsection 254, those who do not vote can be prosecuted by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) and fined 20 Australian dollars, approximately 420 baht, unless they have a valid reason officially reported to the AEC, which exempts them from the fine.
(Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-02/is-voting-compulsory-fines-penalties/105173996)
In Brazil, for national elections, anyone who fails to vote without a valid reason or without notifying authorities will immediately lose three rights: 1. The right to attend public universities for higher education, 2. The ability to obtain a new passport if they did not vote in the previous election and there are less than 150 days before the next election, and 3. Access to government bank loans will be denied.
(Source: https://despachante55.com/en/emissao-do-passaporte-em-periodo-eleitoral/)
In Bolivia, voters receive a certificate confirming their participation, which is crucial for withdrawing their salary from banks. Without this document, they must wait three months after the election day to access their salary.
(Source: "IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Bolivia", www.electionguide.org, retrieved 13 Jan 2023)
In Greece, before 2000, citizens who did not vote on election day lost their right to obtain a driver's license.
(Source: "Compulsory Voting | International IDEA", www.idea.int, retrieved 11 Jun 2022)
In Egypt, the maximum penalty for not voting is imprisonment, though this is largely a deterrent as no arrests or imprisonments have been recorded for non-voters.
In Argentina, those who fail to vote face fines; if they refuse to pay, they are barred from accessing government services for one year.
(Source: Cannataro, Micaela (26 October 2019). "Cuánto se paga de multa por no votar y cómo justificarlo". Tikitakas (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 July 2022.)
In Thailand, voting in local administrative, parliamentary, or some provincial governor elections is not only a right but also a duty for all citizens aged 18 and over.
While there are no fines or arrests, those who abstain from voting face political rights restrictions such as being ineligible to run for office, join local councils, or petition for removal of officeholders, all for a period of two years.
An exception applies if the individual notifies the Election Commission (EC) within 7 days from election day, either online or in person at district or local offices according to their registration.
Failure to notify will result in the two-year political rights suspension, including inability to run for elections, join local councils, or propose removal of officials.
Additionally, those who registered for advance voting on 1 February but cannot vote for any reason must notify the Election Commission by Sunday, 15 February 2026. This gives a 14-day window since the EC counts 7 days from election day, 8 February.