Introduction
Voter turnout is the number of eligible voters who cast their vote on an election day. It is measured as the percentage of votes cast at an election, including invalid votes.
Voter turnout is one of the key indicators of how citizens participate in the governance of their country. While democratic countries aim for a high voter turnout, but there is no specific percentage as a “good” or a “bad” turnout. However, high voter turnout is in most cases considered as a sign of a healthy democracy, while low turnout is usually associated with voter apathy and mistrust in the political process.
Voter turnout has decreased globally over time in recent decades. Nevertheless, in India, it has increased gradually since 1951 but our nation could manage to secure a place of just a mediocre nation among other nations in terms of voter turnout. Despite all the efforts of the Election Commission of India (ECI), out of 91.20 crore registered voters, 30 crore eligible voters did not vote in 2019 general elections. The voter turnout in the said general elections stood at 67.40 per cent. The ECI is bent on achieving at least 70 per cent of voter turnout in this general elections of 2024 and walking extra mile to achieve the milestone. But the trends are showing otherwise in the ongoing elections.
Because of the importance of voter turnout, we as a stakeholder of democracy must be concerned when citizens do not turn out to vote. Although, voter behaviour is highly complex and there is no easy explanation for why people do not vote but we must try to understand the reasons behind low turnout, what affects people’s decisions to vote or not to vote and what measures can be adopted to increase it.
The factors that determine voter turnout are different in every country around the world as it is influenced by political, social and cultural environment, geographical locations, size of the population and economic development of a country; level of education, economic conditions, class, caste, religion, ethnicity, social norms of the people and so forth. But there are some most common factors that affect the voter turnout globally. We will discuss them here emphasizing more on Indian milieu.
Determinants of Voter Turnout
For a start, aged people and individuals with higher levels of education are more likely to vote because they often better understand the political process and the impact of their vote. But many eligible voters, especially in rural areas, lack awareness about the importance of voting, their rights and the electoral process. High illiteracy rates in some regions also make it difficult for voters to understand the candidates, their manifestos, and how to cast their votes accurately. However, research has led to contradictory findings about this relationship.
Also, there is a common perception that people are more informed and engaged in political processes if they are economically sound while economic adversity negatively affects political participation because economic hardship can result in voter apathy and lead people to withdraw from politics and focus on meeting their basic needs. In the least developed countries, people affected by poverty do not have access to even a basic education that would enable them to understand how their vote is expected to affect the direction of government policies.
But it must be mentioned that in India, the poor, illiterate and underprivileged people vote in larger proportion as compared to the rich and privileged sections. This is in contrast to western democracies. For example, in the United States of America, poor people, African Americans and Hispanics vote much less than the rich and the white people. Common people in India attach much significance to elections. They feel that through elections they can bring pressure on political parties to adopt policies and programs favourable to them.
Strong electoral competitiveness can motivate more people to vote as well. They will feel responsible for participating if their vote can make a difference in the outcome. If a vote can make a difference in pushing a program that resonates with the needs of people, those people are more likely to vote. Likewise; strong party loyalty is also a driving force for high voter turnout. On the contrary, political parties and candidates may not always focus on issues that resonate with the electorate and in some cases, lack of good candidate contesting the election also leads to voter disinterest.
Voter apathy is an important factor that affects the voter turnout. A significant portion of the eligible Indian population remains apathetic towards politics and elections. India’s young voters and urban citizens are often accused of being the bystander in its electoral process. The Election Commission has pointed to urban apathy as one of the factor for low voter turnout.
Security issues in certain regions may deter voters from going to polling stations, particularly during tense periods or in areas affected by conflict or insurgency. Additionally, instances of voter suppression, such as intimidation and violence in some regions, discourages voter turnout. Jammu and Kashmir for instance, had been witnessing low polling since 1989 when terrorism broke out and the Pakistan-backed terrorists and separatists made it a routine to call for poll boycott, particularly in the Kashmir valley. In this first major election after Article 370 abrogation and bifurcation of erstwhile J&K state into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir has recorded the combined poll percentage of 58.11 per cent for the five parliamentary seats in the Union Territory, which is the record highest voter turnout in last 35 years. In 2019, the turnout was 44.07 percent, 49.58 per cent in 2014, 39.04 per cent in 2009, 34.07 per cent in 2004, 30.89 per cent in 1999, 43.35 per cent in 1998, 47.99 per cent in 1996 and 29.93 per cent voter turnout in 1989.
Population stability also affects the voter turnout. People who reside in the same area for longer periods of time usually have better knowledge of local issues and candidates and are also more concerned about the political decisions that affect their daily lives. Thus, they will be more likely to vote in an election. Frequent movement from one place to another, on the other hand, may decrease people’s desire to engage in the political process. In India, millions of internal migrants face challenges in voting due to their transient nature and difficulties in updating their voter registration.
The number of parties that contest an election can affect voter turnout, but there is no agreement on whether fragmentation increases or decreases turnout. Some argue that the availability of more parties gives more options to voters, and thus increases their desire to vote. However, the opposite may also be true—too many options can confuse voters and make it difficult for them to judge whether their vote will have the desired impact on the election outcome.
The existence of individual registration requirements that must be fulfilled by the voter creates an additional burden for voters, because registration requires time and energy. In some settings, registration may also entail direct financial costs such as for travel to registration centers. These burdens can affect registration rates and consequently voter turnout. Automatic registration (i.e. the use of civil registries to create voter lists) or Election Day registration are seen as efficient ways of removing registration-related barriers.
The type of voting arrangement can have an impact on voter turnout. These include single or multiple voting days, elections taking place during inconvenient times, such as extreme weather conditions, festivals or agricultural harvest seasons. These can discourage voter turnout. When several elections take place on the same day, voter turnout is usually higher. This is because an individual voter may be motivated to cast his/her vote in at least one of the elections. The system of “One Nation, One Election” can be considered to address voter fatigue and sustain voter enthusiasm.
Also, if voting process is complicated, it may discourage potential voters. It is found that the voter turnout is higher in elections that use systems of proportional representation than in those that use plurality/ majority systems. The availability of voting technologies, the proximity of polling stations also affect the voter turnout. India's vast geographical expanse and diverse population present logistical challenges in ensuring that all eligible voters can access polling stations easily.
The level of interest in politics can be a factor that drives turnout at elections. Societies that encourage citizens’ interest in the political process through the introduction of citizenship education in schools, as well as a transparent environment that allows political discussion and debate, among other things, can boost voter participation. Besides, a perception of civic duty is one of the most crucial factors affecting attitudes to voting in elections. In many societies people perceive it to be their duty to contribute to political decision making.
Apart from the factors mentioned above, perceptions of corruption in government services suppress citizens’ desire to turn out on Election Day. Also, perceptions of electoral integrity are positively associated with voter participation.
Some measures to Increase Voter Turnout in India
Voter Education: Although India embraced voter education relatively late, but in recent times, the ECI is leaving no stone unturned in this matter. Number of campaigns and advertisements focusing on informing citizens about the importance of voting, the electoral process, and the impact of their votes on governance are in circulation through various mediums, including TV, radio, social media, and community outreach programs. However, continued and intensified efforts in this area are crucial.
Revision of Electoral Rolls: Regular and rigorous revision of electoral rolls is essential. Removing dead, absent, or duplicate names from the voter list and adding eligible citizens ensures that the voter base accurately reflects the population.
Accessibility and Ease of Voting: Physical accessibility of polling stations, reducing wait times, and making the voting process more convenient for citizens may increase voter turnout. In this regard, the introduction of home voting facility for the citizens above 85 years and Persons with Disabilities voters by the ECI must be mentioned. This is a path breaking initiative taken by the ECI this year to reach out the voters.
Remote Voting: Implementing remote voting options to empower internal migrants who face logistical and financial barriers to voting will be beneficial in a country as vast and diverse as India. The initiative will allow migrant voters to vote from remote location through the remote electronic voting machines. They do not have to travel to their home districts to exercise their franchise. But political consensus and investment in secure and accessible remote voting technology are necessary for this to become a reality.
Campaign Quality and Expenditures: The quality of election campaigns may be enhanced to make them more engaging and informative. Political parties should present convincing manifestos/agendas and candidates to motivate voters. This can include debates and discussions on pressing issues. More money can be spent on campaigning to increase awareness of an election, which can affect the feeling of ‘civic duty’ among citizens. Greater resources can also enable wider distribution of political information, which helps citizens to obtain the necessary information about candidates and political parties. On the other hand, there is increasing concern about the role of money in politics. The involvement of large amounts of money in election campaigns, mainly from private donors, is creating intense debate about the impact of the richest segments of the population on national policies.
Youth Engagement: Youth voter apathy is a primary source of concern in many countries. In India, since youths are a part of the category of 30 crore missing voters, they must be encouraged to participate actively in the electoral process and their engagement in the electoral process must be targeted. Schools and colleges may be engaged to educate students about their voting rights and responsibilities.
Community Mobilization: Grassroots efforts can be particularly effective in increasing turnout. Therefore, community leaders and organizations may play an important role in mobilizing voters within their communities.
In Closing
Voter turnout in India is not very low. Half of the countries in the world including India fall within 60-79 per cent voter turnout group. But as already mentioned, 30 crore eligible voters did not vote in 2019 general election, which is twice the population of Russia or more than the populations of the UK, Spain, France, Portugal, Netherlands and Germany combined. Since India is making rapid strides in almost all the important parameters of development, we should also aim to join the elite club of nations that has 80 percent turnout in elections.
The ECI has however taken some path breaking initiatives to achieve more voter turnout. It has launched Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) program in 2009. It is a flagship program of the ECI for voter education, spreading voter awareness and promoting voter literacy in India. This initiative resulted in India creating a turnout record in Lok Sabha elections of 2014. In 2009, the voting percentage stood at 58%, which went up to 66.4% in 2014, and 67.6% in 2019.
Another ambitious new strategy has also been launched by the ECI called the Turnout Implementation Plan (TIP). It is a targeted voter outreach initiative to enhance voter turnout. It aims to push the voter turnout past 70% in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The focus of the TIP is on 10 large states, including Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh, where the voter turnout was below or slightly above the 2019 national average. Additionally, around 250 constituencies with turnout figures lower than their respective state averages have been identified.
The “Turnout Implementation Plan” is focusing on the specific reasons for low voter turnout and devising strategies to mitigate them by addressing local causes. It intends to combat voter apathy through targeted communication efforts. These efforts are meant to engage voters in states with below-average turnout, encouraging them to participate in the electoral process. The TIP involves a comprehensive profiling of booths with low turnout. This strategy acknowledges that a one-size-fits all approach may not be effective and instead involves tailoring approaches to individual constituencies and demographics.
Home Voting is another initiative of ECI towards increasing voter turnout. In a path breaking initiative, the ECI for the first time has provided the facility of home voting for the elderly and Persons with Disabilities in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Voters above 85 years of age and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) with 40% benchmark disability can avail the optional home voting facility. There are over 81 lakh 85+ aged voters and 90 lakh + PwD voters registered across the country. Voters in this category have already availed this facility in the states where polling is already conducted.
Voting from home takes place with involvement of a full contingent of polling staff and security personnel with secrecy of voting diligently maintained. With this, the ECI has taken another decisive step towards facilitating a more equitable and representative democracy, where every citizen's voice matters, regardless of physical limitations or age.
While registered voters do not end up voting for a variety of reasons, domestic migration is a major contributor in the Indian context. It is understood that inability to vote due to internal migration (domestic migrants) is one of the prominent reasons to be addressed to improve voter turnout and ensure participative elections. Many migrants face disenfranchisement due to their inability to travel to polling stations where they are registered as voters, as required by law. While it is possible to register to vote at a new location, doing so requires proof of a fixed address, which many of the poor do not have. Consequently, in late 2022, the ECI proposed a Remote EVM (R-EVM) to address issues related to domestic migrant voting. The proposed system is aimed at enabling the migrant voters to exercise their franchise from their current place of residence.
There are some countries such as Estonia, France, Panama, and Pakistan, Armenia etc, which practice remote voting for the citizens living abroad or away from their respective constituencies. But in India, it is yet to see the light of the day. As stated earlier, it requires a political will to make it a reality.
Since voter turnout is a crucial indicator of the level of citizens’ interest and participation in political processes, high voter turnout must be encouraged and achieved. Larry Diamond argues that: ‘low rates of voter participation are additional signs of democratic ill-health’. Given the importance of elections to democracy, the issue of voter participation should be taken more seriously. Therefore, enquiring into the causes of low turnout is not enough but immediate action to improve voter participation is the need of the hour. Because if voter turnout continues to decline, there is a risk that elections might lose their appeal as a fundamental tool of democratic governance. However, improving voter participation is not a sole responsibility of the ECI; it requires much broader action by election stakeholders, such as governments, political parties and civil society actors.
