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Comparing non‐voters in the USA and Norway: permanence versus transience
Author(s) -
PETTERSEN PER ARNT
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
european journal of political research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.267
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1475-6765
pISSN - 0304-4130
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-6765.1989.tb00198.x
Subject(s) - norwegian , turnout , voting , demographic economics , political science , presidential system , presidential election , politics , voter turnout , political economy , economics , law , philosophy , linguistics
. Voter turnout for the 1984 presidential election in the USA was 30 percent lower than the last parliamentary election in Norway (1985). Similarities among the factors which explains non‐voting in the two nations are apparent, but the factors unique to each country are important for understanding the difference in turnout level as well as patterns of non‐participation. While the Norwegian non‐voters are in a transient situation where youth and limited life‐cycle experience determine non‐voting, factors effecting American non‐voters are more permanent. In particular, if socio‐economic resources are not acquired in youth, the development of political involvement and participation will be obstructed.