Norwegian Professor Contributes to Expanding Research on Voter Turnout in Elections
Research into voter turnout has seen significant expansion over the past 15 years, with a notable increase in academic papers on the subject. In 2014, the number of articles published on voter turnout was nearly four times higher than in 2000. Portuguese political scientist João Cancela and Norwegian professor Benny Geys conducted a meta-analysis of 185 studies on electoral turnout in their 2016 paper, 'Explaining voter turnout: A meta-analysis of national and subnational elections.' Their findings indicate that electoral uncertainty is a key factor influencing turnout, particularly in national elections. This suggests that when voters perceive an election outcome as uncertain, they are more likely to participate. Conversely, messages that suggest a certain victory for one side can reduce the perceived importance of an individual vote, potentially leading to lower turnout.
