Unravelling the link between non-voting and political knowledge: An exploratory study

The question of why people abstain from voting has been extensively analysed and discussed in previous research. One line of research particularly emphasizes education when explaining non-voting and highlights education as a resource needed in democracies. Yet despite the continued expansion of formal education, voter turnout has declined over time. This puzzle needs to be addressed: Our paper asks whether democracy can be learned. Focusing on voter turnout, we conducted focus group discussions to learn who can be brought back to the polls and how, using the concept of passive citizenship. The results show, firstly, that political knowledge is generally underdeveloped. Secondly, we were able to show that activation is also a matter of fit. Different types of non-voters need different political education programmes as they lack different types of political knowledge. In conclusion, it is possible to learn democracy. However, it is a lifelong task that should begin in childhood and continue into old age. Since voter turnout is closely linked to political knowledge, programmes should be tailored to the needs of different social groups in order to engage non-voters in politics. • Education is emphasized as a factor explaining abstention. • Turnout in Western democracies decreased although educational levels have risen. • Prior work identifies three types of non-voters: disillusioned, unengaged, standby. • Political education is an explanatory factor for all types of passive citizens. • The level of ignorance differs across groups.