The United States presidential race would have a surprise front-runner if the country had compulsory voting like Australian, a New York Times analysis has concluded.

Democratic presidential nominee Bernie Sanders would be doing better than his more high-profile rival Hillary Clinton, and could even top barnstorming Republican nominee Donald Trump, the article says.

That is because Sanders is very popular with working-class voters, a huge potential voting bloc but which statistics show are less likely to vote under the US voluntary voting system than wealthier citizens, the paper says.

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Bernie Sanders could have a greater chance of becoming president if the United States had compulsory voting like Australia, according to a New York Times analysis

U.S. Republican candidate Donald Trump (left) and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton are favoured by pundits to face off for president

The paper noted that if voting was compulsory in the US as it is in Australia, Mr Sanders would stand a much better chance against Mrs Clinton - and the Republican frontrunner Trump.

‘It’s hard to envision Brooklyn-born Bernie Sanders with an Australian accent,’ the article says. ‘But there are reasons he might feel at home in Australia.’

The paper writes not only would his left-leaning policies be more acceptable to Australians, but compulsory voting could help eliminate the substantial difference in voter turnout.

One survey cited by the New York Times found that about 99 percent of the country’s top one percent voted in 2008. However, only 49 percent of people earning less than $10,000 did the same.

That same survey by the Demos think tank concluded that ‘disproportionately non-voting citizens are low-income, young, less educated and people of color [sic].’

Australia introduced compulsory voting in 1924 and it had an immediate impact. Turnout at the 1925 election jumped to more than 91 per cent.

Between 1946 and 2013, voter turnout has averaged 95 percent, according to a study published by the Brookings Institution.

Despite the Australia's high rates of electoral engagement, it's unlikely that the U.S. will introduce mandatory voting.

A 2015 survey showed that only 26 percent of Americans supported the idea.

Mr Sanders is more popular with with working-class voters, who are less likely to vote than wealthy Americans