Voter Turnout in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Mexico

Lisa Kucharczk

What are the variables that affect voter turnout and how does voter turnout affect the United States, the United Kingdom, and Mexico?

“Unanswerable” Question

Inspiration

A.P. Comparative Government class

Interest in politics

Possible political science major

Plurality• Vote on individual candidates running in single

member districts; candidate with most votes wins

Proportional Representation• Vote for parties in multimember districts; seats

divided among parties based on percentage of votes won

Mixed• Individuals and parties run for office in single-

member and multi-member districts

Voter Turnout

• Gauges political participation• Has implications towards the state of

government• Affected by many factors

• Electoral systems• Registration process• Political culture

Mexico

• All adults required to vote• President elected directly• Bicameral legislature

• Mixture of election types• Party caps

Mexican Presidential Elections

Year %Total VAP to Vote

2006 63.26

2000 59.99

1994 65.89

1988 41.96

1982 65.85

1976 57.59

1970 63.36

1964 56.59

The United Kingdom

• Three-part parliament• 650 members of the

House of Commons• Prime minister is elected

by party, not people

U.K. General Elections

Year %Total VAP to Vote

2010 65.1

2005 61.4

2001 59.4

1997 71.4

1992 77.7

1987 75.3

1983 72.7

1979 76

The UnitedStates

• Bicameral legislature• Presidential elections

• Electoral College

U.S.A. Presidential Elections

Year %Total VAP to Vote

2004 43.6

2000 38.9

1996 36.5

1992 39.0

1988 34.7

1984 37.8

1980 63.36

1976 56.59

Factors Affecting Turnout

• Lack of political integrity

• Negative campaigning• Low political efficacy• Election predictions• Infrastructure

Election IssueVoters Prevented or

Discouraged from Voting

Voter Registration Issues3 million

Disenfranchisement of Ex-Offenders 1 millionElection Equipment or Ballot Design 3-500,000

Unnecessarily Long Lines and other Fixable Poll Procedures 250,000

Voters with Disabilities1-1.5 million

Problems with Receiving, Returning, or Counting Mail-in Ballots

200,000

TOTAL “LOST” VOTESOver 8 million

Increasing Turnout

Sense of Civic Duty

Non-traditional Voting Election Timing Legislative

Action

Project Action

• Review for A.P. Government exam• Political participation

• 40 attendees• Petition on whitehouse.gov

• Make Election Day a national holiday

Project Action

Alexa Smithwrick

“I was really impressed by Lisa’s PowerPoint. I feel much

more ready for my A.P. Government exam.”

Austin Sutton

“I enjoyed the PowerPoint because it was professional and I

think her project topic was original.”

Rachael Njuki

“I signed Lisa’s petition because it was informative about an issue that I had never really thought of

before.”

Questions?

Works Cited