Hobart is looking at compulsory voting to improve youth turnout.

Less than one third of voters aged between 18-34 voted in the last Hobart City Council election, compared to 70 per cent participation for those above 65.

Hobart Aldermen want to increase voter participation, and making it compulsory is looking like a strong option.

Voting is compulsory in council elections in Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales, but it is optional and postal in Tasmania.

Hobart Alderman Helen Burnet is leading the charge, saying the change would provide a more representative council.

“The council is elected by those people who do participate in the voting, but of course it would be better represented by a greater turnout,” she said.

But the Local Government Association of Tasmania (LGAT), which could be called on to advocate for the change, does not support compulsory voting.

LGAT chief Dr Katrena Stephenson says it has number of issues.

“There are a number of factors that suggest that it might not be the best mechanism to improve voter turnout and it's the position of the association that we concentrate on improving communities' understanding of the importance of local government and the reasons why they should engage and vote in local council elections,” she said.

“We know with the introduction of postal voting there was a significant increase in the number of people voting in local government elections and [in regional and rural electorates] this is actually quite competitive in terms of voter responses with those states who do have compulsory voting.”

LGAT says it will run a social media campaign targeting younger Tasmanians ahead of upcoming elections.