Voter turnout in Western Europe since 1945 [electronic resource] : a regional report.

Voting is a habit. People learn the habit of voting, or not, based on experience in their first few elections. Elections that do not stimulate high turnout among young adults leave a 'footprint' of low turnout in the age structure of the electorate as many individuals who were new at those elections fail to vote at subsequent elections. Elections that stimulate high turnout leave a high turnout footprint. So a country's turnout history provides a baseline for current turnout that is largely set, except for young adults. This baseline shifts as older generations leave the electorate and as changes in political and institutional circumstances affect the turnout of new generations. Among the changes that have affected turnout in recent years, the lowering of the voting age in most established democracies has been particularly important in creating a low turnout footprint that has grown with each election.

This is the most comprehensive compilation of voter turnout statistics ever published. The report includes statistics from more than 1,600 parliamentary and presidential elections in over 170 countries. Easy-to-use colour-coded tables give ready access to election turnout percentages from almost every contested national election that has taken place since the end of the Second World War. Graphs, charts and tables highlight trends in voter turnout and compare turnout between old and new democracies. Political participation in different regions is analysed and corresponding information is presented on the potential impact of literacy, a country's wealth and civil liberties on voter turnout. A colour-coded world map, showing turnout percentages from the most recent national elections, is also enclosed. In addition to the voter turnout statistics and analyses, this publication contains a thematic focus on voter registration. Voter registration is the process of exercising the franchise, and as such is a key condition of electoral participation. History shows us that the removal of barriers to registration is essential to the full exercise of a citizen's political rights.Country case studies as well as an analysis of the voter registration methods used today in the world are presented together with graphs and global information on voter registration.

Utilizing both historical and new research data, this book analyzes voting patterns for local and national elections in thirteen west European countries from 1945-2011. The result of rigorous and in-depth country studies, this book challenges the popular second-order model and presents an innovative framework to study regional voting patterns.

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the party systems of the whole continent of Europe. This work also includes case studies of the Baltic States and Balkan democracies and goes as far east as Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and Turkey.