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Scientific article

Published:

Why voters don’t turn up in larger numbers in Lok Sabha elections – all politics is local

Written by

Francesca R. Jensenius
Former employee
Pradeep Chhibber
Harsh Shah

Ed.

Summary:

Historically, national elections in India have had an average voter turnout of about 60 per cent, but there have been massive differences in turnout both across India and across different elections.

Voter turnout is important for the legitimacy of democratic elections, and Indian elections are known for their high turnout. It is also crucial in determining who wins an election because the party preferences of those who vote occasionally are probably different from the party preferences of those who vote each time.

There is great variation in voter turnout in India across constituencies and over time. This study shows that the size of the constituency also seems to have a large bearing on voter turnout.

Themes

  • Asia
  • Governance

Written by

Francesca R. Jensenius
Former employee
Pradeep Chhibber
Harsh Shah