Increasing local turnout among disadvantaged groups Henk van der Kolk

Disadvantaged Advantaged How are turnout and ‘being disadvantaged’ related? And how is this affected by decline? 80 70 60 50 Turnout 40 ? 30 20 10 Disadvantaged Advantaged Presentation Council of Europe Oct 22, 2009

Which measures help to increase turnout? Institutional: PR works better than Plurality Facilitative: Postal voting helps to increase overall turnout in less important elections Communication: Getting out to vote campaigns help as long as they are personal, focusing on the public aspects of the act of voting. Presentation Council of Europe Oct 22, 2009

How (not) to increase turnout in local elections? Addressing people personally Stressing visibility and the public nature of the ‘act of voting’ This has consequences for some measures to decrease the costs of the act of voting Presentation Council of Europe Oct 22, 2009

How does inclusion affect turnout of the disadvantaged ? 80 ? 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 Disadvantaged Advantaged Presentation Council of Europe Oct 22, 2009

Thanks for listening Henk van der Kolk