How costly is voting?: explaining individual differences in the costs of voting

Abstract

A more profound analysis of the variables in the voting equation is needed to improve our knowledge on voting. In this paper, we endogenize the costs of voting (C) and test several models with the help of the Making Electoral Democracy Work database, which contains information on C and its potential determinants for national elections in France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, and Canada. We test whether C is affected by socio-demographic and attitudinal factors related to: (a) informational costs, (b) the costs of the act of voting itself, and (c) those bound to lead to an ex-ante rationalization of C. By doing so, we contribute to bridging the rational choice and the sociological and psycho-sociological models of voting. We find strong evidence that the three types of factors have a statistical and substantive effect on C. In particular, C falls with party identification, education, union membership, years in the region where the elections are held, interest in politics and the importance attributed to elections, while it is higher for women and rural dwellers. Age shows a curvilinear relationship, initially reducing C and increasing it later. Contrary to expected, the presence of kids at home does not significantly increase C.