Report
Ungas röst – en studie om ungdomars valdeltagande 2018 och deras egna tankar om att delta i val
2022Abdelzadeh, A., & Lundberg, E.Stockholm: Myndigheten för ungdoms- och civilsamhällesfrågor
What is this study about?
The study examines young people's participation in the 2018 elections and the factors associated with young people voting or abstaining from voting. Using register data, voter turnout is studied among all voting-eligible 18–25-year-olds and how turnout varies between different groups and parts of Sweden. This is combined with young people's own accounts of what motivates them to vote, which obstacles they experience, and what could strengthen their participation in elections.
What did we find?
The results show that young people are not a homogeneous group when it comes to voter turnout. There are clear differences linked to, among other things, socioeconomic circumstances and where in the country young people live. Young people's own accounts show at the same time that voter turnout is affected by political interest and knowledge, the sense that one's vote matters, and how accessible and relevant politics is perceived to be. The study thus shows that differences in voter turnout are shaped in the interplay between individual resources, social contexts, and experiences of politics.
Why does it matter?
Voting in the first elections of life can matter for future participation, while differences in voter turnout mean that some groups have greater political impact than others. When inequalities arise already among young people, there is a risk that they follow them further into adult life. The study therefore shows why work to increase voter turnout needs to address both making participation itself easier and strengthening young people's knowledge, motivation, and experience of having a place and a voice in democracy.
Citation
Abdelzadeh, A., & Lundberg, E. (2022) Ungas röst – en studie om ungdomars valdeltagande 2018 och deras egna tankar om att delta i val. Stockholm: Myndigheten för ungdoms- och civilsamhällesfrågor
Research area
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