Voter Turnout and the Dynamics of Electoral Competition in Established Democracies Since 1945

By Michael Fotos, Cees van der Eijk, Mark N. Franklin, et al.

Book Overview

Demonstrating how voter turnout can serve as an indicator of the health of a democracy, this study documents the conditions that can result in low voter turnout and suggests reforms that might alleviate these conditions. Mark Franklin concludes that declining turnout does not necessarily reflect reductions in civic virtue or increases in alienation. Franklin claims that turnout falls due to cumulating effects of institutional changes, a lack of competition in elections and a decision by a large proportion of the electorate not to participate as a response to the lack of competition.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0521541476
• ISBN13: 9780521541473
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 294 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.9" x 9.0"