nonvote

Nonvote refers to the act of not participating in a political election by choosing not to cast a ballot. It can include abstaining by casting a blank or spoiled ballot or simply leaving the polling place without voting, depending on jurisdiction rules. In political science, the term “nonvoter” describes a person who is eligible to vote but does not vote in a given election. Nonvote is distinguished from null votes or protest votes, though these can overlap in practice.

Causes are diverse: personal opportunity costs, lack of information, satisfaction with the status quo, disillusionment with candidates, and barriers to participation such as registration, polling accessibility, language, or time constraints. Structural factors like compulsory voting reduce nonvoting, while voluntary systems tend to have higher nonvote shares.

Consequences include potential effects on electoral outcomes, especially in close races, and the use of nonvote as an indicator of political engagement or apathy. Researchers examine nonvote alongside turnout to assess representation and legitimacy of elections, as well as social and demographic patterns—youth, low income, and less education often correlate with lower participation in many contexts, though results vary by country and election type.

Measurement typically reports turnout as the percentage of eligible voters who cast ballots; the nonvote rate is then 1 minus turnout. Some analyses distinguish between strategic abstention and disengagement.

See also: voter turnout, abstention, disenfranchisement, suffrage.