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Voting behaviourJoan Garrod
FOTO
LIA
Voting behaviour
Falling turnout
Politicians from all parties are increasingly concerned by the falling turnout rate
at UK elections, particularly general elections.
The turnout rate measures the proportion of those who are eligible to vote who
actually do so.
There are two related problems:
A growing number of people, especially first-time voters and those
from minority ethnic groups, are not registered to vote, thus making themselves
ineligible.
Even among those registered to vote, a growing number fail to actually cast
their vote.
Turnout at local elections, by-elections and European parliamentary elections is
much lower than at general elections.
Voting behaviour
Turnout at general elections
The following table gives the UK percentage turnout at general elections
in selected years.
Year Turnout Year Turnout
1945 72.8 1992 77.7
1950 83.9 1997 71.4
1964 77.1 2001 59.4
1979 76.0 2005 61.4
1987 75.3 2010 65.1
Voting behaviour
Why people don’t vote (1)
In December 2013, ICM Research carried out a survey for the Guardian
newspaper.
They interviewed an online sample of 2,023 adults aged 18+ between
20 December and 22 December.
The following slide shows some of the reasons non-voters gave for
not voting.
Voting behaviour
Why people don’t vote (2)
Voting behaviour
From the same research, here are some people’s feelings towards politicians.
Why people don’t vote (3)
Voting behaviour
Reasons for not voting
Political parties, both in and out of government, appear to have a problem
inspiring trust among the electorate, and also in presenting themselves as
sufficiently different from one another.
The Guardian research showed that:
64% of respondents identified the failure of governments to honour their
pledges as something that would put them off voting
26% regarded the parties as ‘so similar that [voting] makes little difference’
Voting behaviour
Role models?
Recently, two well-known figures revealed that they had never voted — they were
the former England footballer Michael Owen and the comedian/broadcaster Russell
Brand. It has been suggested that high-profile figures such as these revealing their
lack of participation in voting would put off some people, especially younger voters,
from taking part in elections.
Discussion point:
To what extent do you think that younger voters might be influenced
by these views?
Voting behaviour
It’s not just turnout that mattersWhile there is understandable concern at falling turnout rates, there seems to
be an even greater problem for UK democracy — the growing inequality in
turnout.
Participation in elections is falling fastest among the young and the least
affluent.
This means that the well-off and older voters have a disproportionate
influence over government policies.
Such unequal turnout reduces the incentives for governments to respond to
the interests of non-voters. This leads to the growing conviction among non-
voters that politics has little to offer them and does not represent their
interests, making them even less likely to vote.
Voting behaviour
The growing gap
In 1987, there was a four-point gap in the turnout rate between the highest income
groups and the poorest of the electorate.
In 2010, the gap had increased to 23 points.
If we take ‘young voters’ as those aged between 18–24, and ‘older voters’ as those aged
66 and over:
in 1970, the gap in the turnout rate between young and older voters was
18 points
in 2010, the gap had increased to 32 points
This is significant because research shows that those who vote when they are young are
more likely to continue to vote as they get older. It seems now that younger people
are less likely than those from previous generations to get into the habit of voting.
Voting behaviour
Consequences (1)
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) published a report, ‘Divided
democracy’, in November 2013. Part of the report was an analysis of the impact
of the 2010 spending review on voters and non-voters.
This showed that those groups who voted in the 2010 general election faced cuts
worth 12% of their annual household income.
However, groups of non-voters faced cuts worth 20% of their annual household
income.
The cuts had a disproportionate effect on the young and the poor — precisely those
groups who are least likely to vote.
Voting behaviour
Consequences (2)
The IPPR analysis also showed that:
Those with annual household incomes of less than £10,000 stand to lose the
equivalent of 41% of their average income through cuts.
Those with annual incomes of over £60,000 will lose on average £2,104,
representing just 3% of this group’s average income.
The average loss in services and benefits amounts to £1,850 per voter,
compared to £2,135 per non-voter.
Voting behaviour
A solution?
Clearly, non-voters are at a disadvantage in terms of government policies.
The IPPR argue that the best way to boost political participation among hard-to-
reach groups is by compulsory voting. This is currently practised in about a
quarter of the world’s democracies, including Belgium and Australia. In
Belgium, the turnout has averaged 93% in the elections since 1946, while over
the same period the turnout in Australia has averaged 95%.
Voting itself is not required by law — what is compulsory is attendance at the polls.
Discussion point:
What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of such
systems?
Voting behaviour
A compromise? (1)
The IPPR report proposes a compromise — namely that first-time voters in the
UK should be obliged to go to the polls, on the first occasion that they are eligible
to vote.
They would only be compelled to attend — ballot papers would have a box
entitled ‘None of the above’ in order for voters to register that they did not wish to
cast a vote for any of the candidates listed.
The IPPR suggests that to ensure a high participation rate, there should be a small
fine for non-attendance.
Voting behaviour
A compromise? (2)
The IPPR’s arguments for this proposal are:
having been to the polls once, young voters would be more likely to continue
going in the future
politicians would be forced to pay attention to young voters and their interests
Discussion point:
What are your views on this proposal, given the knowledge of the
disadvantages of non-voting?