voter turnout

Examples of voter turnout in the following topics:

• The Effect of Low Voter Turnout

  • High voter turnout is often considered to be desirable, though among political scientists and economists specialising in public choice, the issue is still debated.
  • On the other hand, if low turnout is a reflection of contentment of voters about likely winners or parties, then low turnout is as legitimate as high turnout, as long as the right to vote exists.
  • Voter turnout varies considerably between countries.
  • Voters lining up outside a Baghdad polling station during the 2005 Iraqi election.
  • Voter turnout was considered high despite widespread concerns of violence.

• Low Voter Turnout

  • Low voter turnout is often considered to be undesirable; there is much debate over the factors that affect turnout and how to increase it.
  • Voter turnout varies considerably between countries.
  • Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election.
  • Voter turnout varies considerably between countries.
  • Graph of Voter turnout in the United States presidential elections from 1824 to 2008.

• Voter Turnout

  • The significance of voter turnout, the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election, has been debated by scholars.
  • Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election.
  • After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s.
  • On the other hand, if low turnout is a reflection of contentment of voters about likely winners or parties, then low turnout is as legitimate as high turnout, as long as the right to vote exists.
  • Graph of Voter turnout in the United States presidential elections from 1824 to 2008.

• Voting Behavior

  • Voter turnout depends on socioeconomic factors such as education, income, gender, age, and race.
  • Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election.
  • In low turnout nations, however, the differences between voters and non-voters can be quite marked.
  • The most important socioeconomic factor in voter turnout is education.
  • Age is another crucial factor determining voter turnout.

• Attempts to Improve Voter Turnout

  • Generally, rules and laws are easier to change than attitudes, and thus the task of improving voter turnout must consider these factors.
  • Institutional factors have a significant impact on voter turnout.
  • Rules and laws are also generally easier to change than attitudes, so much of the work done on how to improve voter turnout looks at these factors.
  • Compulsory voting ensures a large voter turnout.
  • Therefore, the need for time off from work as a factor in voter turnout is greatly reduced.

• Factors Affecting Voter Turnout

  • High voter turnout is often considered to be desirable, though among political scientists and economists specialising in public choice, the issue is still debated.
  • On the other hand, if low turnout is a reflection of contentment of voters about likely winners or parties, then low turnout is as legitimate as high turnout, as long as the right to vote exists.
  • Institutional factors have a significant impact on voter turnout.
  • Rules and laws are also generally easier to change than attitudes, so much of the work done on how to improve voter turnout looks at these factors.
  • Voter fatigue and voter apathy should be distinguished from what arises when voters are not allowed or unable to vote, or when disenfranchisement occurs.

• Voting as Political Participation

  • Expanded voter registration means that more and more people have been able to participate, and voter turnout trends indicate how many people exercise their right to vote as a primary means of political participation.
  • Voter turnout in presidential elections is generally higher than for lower-level contests; usually more than half the eligible voters cast a ballot .
  • Voter turnout in the current era has not fluctuated much since voting participation during universal suffrage in 1920.
  • This is a chart illustrating voter turnout by sex and age for the 2008 U.S.
  • Notice the higher turnout rates for women, and for older people.

• Age and Participation

  • Voter turnout among eighteen- to twenty-four-year-olds dropped from 50 percent in 1972, the first presidential election year after the voting age was lowered to eighteen, to 36 percent in 2000.
  • Turnout among senior citizens, people sixty-five and older, increased to nearly 70 percent in that same time period.
  • Young voter turnout rose to 47 percent in 2004 and 51 percent in 2008, partly as a result of voter registration and mobilization efforts by groups like Rock the Vote.
  • The growth of Internet technologies, particularly social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, has also made it easier for candidates to reach younger voters who may not read traditional newspapers or watch television news and increase their turnout .

• The General Election Campaign

  • Since the president is the most visible elected official in the country, the election season is so long, and so much money is spent on advertising, the presidential general election has greater voter turnout than any other U.S. election.
  • Even so, voter turnout usually hovers at or below 60% of eligible voters.
  • In some cases, voter turnout strongly impacts the outcome of elections.
  • As a general rule, white elderly voters turnout more reliably than any other demographic group, and they vote consistently Republican.
  • Thus, some analysts argue that high turnout favors Democratic candidates, since the turnout increase usually indicates greater number of young and minority voters.

• Additional Factors: Gender, Age, Religion, Race, and Ethnicity

  • Senior citizens, people age 65 and older, also have high turnout rates of around 70 percent.
  • Discriminatory practices kept the turnout rate of African-Americans low until after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
  • Sixty-five percent of black voters turned out in the 2008 presidential election compared with 66 percent of white voters.
  • Oftentimes, religious convictions motivate voters.
  • Much of the Christian right's power within the American political system is attributed to their extraordinary turnout rate at the polls.