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How To

Voter turnout has been decreasing in established democracies around the world over the past 40 years.[1] So what can you do, as an individual, to reverse this trend? Social scientists say that there are four main reasons people vote (or don’t vote) and they all affect each other like this: PB + D > C.[2]

P = probability that an individual’s vote will affect the outcome of an election
B = perceived benefit of the outcome
D = democracy, civic duty; immediate gratification from the act of voting itself
C = time, effort, and financial cost involved in voting

Basically, all the pros (P, B, D) need to outweigh the cons (C). When you’re talking to someone who isn’t planning on voting, you have a much better chance of convincing them to cast their ballot by making a strong case for the pros, and minimizing the cons. Here’s a practical guide to shifting the decision in favor of voting.