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PREDICTORS OF ELECTORAL TURNOUT: AN INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON *
Author(s) -
Wolfinger Raymond E.,
Glass David P.,
Squire Peverill
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
review of policy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.832
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1541-1338
pISSN - 1541-132X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1541-1338.1990.tb01062.x
Subject(s) - turnout , ballot , pessimism , voter turnout , politics , political science , democracy , alienation , political economy , state (computer science) , bureaucracy , demographic economics , public administration , economics , voting , law , philosophy , epistemology , algorithm , computer science
Voter turnout in the United States is much lower than in almost all other democratic countries. This has been interpreted as a symptom of popular alienation from the political system, suspicion of politicians, and pessimism about the consequences of political activity. When these perspectives are measured directly, however, it is clear that Americans score very low on almost every item. Indeed, there is no relationship between political con‐ tentment and turnout. Turnout does not reflect international variations in acceptance of politicians or the political system. Rather, it responds to variations in the bureaucratic steps required to cast a ballot. The United States is one of a handful of countries that require a separate step–registra‐ tion–before the citizen can vote; and with the partial exception of France it is the only country in which the individual rather than the state bears the responsibility for registration.