Tomorrow, millions of Americans will go to their designated polling places and cast their votes for President, Senators, Representatives, and several other offices. Political scientists and other observers have speculated widely about the cause of this trend. In a search for the cause of low voter turnout, it is important to note that the recent dip in voter participation is not even across all demographic groups.
Seniors typically have a higher turnout rates.
People with high levels of education tend to vote more than people with less education. Even as education levels and economic prosperity have increased in the United States over the past several years, turnout has declined. In the 1950s, Anthony Downs argued that analyzing politics from a rational perspective might provide needed insight about voting behavior. Downs began with the assumption that the political system is driven by individuals acting to pursue their own interests. He suggested that people might not vote because the costs of voting may outweigh the benefits involved.