Who Votes Early? Evidence from Canada, Germany, Spain and Switzerland

Abstract

In an era of declining voter turnout, many election administrators are turning to increased opportunities for advance voting. They posit that by providing voters with a variety of options of dates and times when they can vote in-person at a polling station, those who are busy or unable to vote on election day will have a more convenient way of casting their vote before the election. One concern, however, is that those using advance polls simply have the characteristics of those who most frequently vote anyway. If this is the case, rather than increasing turnout, advance polls simply provide more convenience to those who already vote. This study therefore employs a cross-national statistical analysis of six established democracies to better understand the socio-demographic and attitudinal correlates of advance voting. As such, this research will contribute to our understanding of whether advance voting actually helps reduce socio-demographic differences in turnout.