ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the various potential explanations for the turnout problem in the United States. Proponents of the socioeconomic status model argue that individuals with greater education, income, and occupational status vote at higher rates than those with less. Clearly individuals who are interested in government and politics are more likely to vote in elections than are those with low levels of interest in politics. Political efficacy also measures the degree to which an individual is connected to the political world. The chapter also examines the impact of institutions on turnout. Cross-national research suggests that differences in electoral and government institutions appear to be the key factors in explaining turnout differences across countries. The nature of electoral competition is a key predictor of turnout. The extant research on cross-national turnout indicates forcefully that the causes of turnout differences across polities are mainly institutional.
