When it comes to the lowest voter turnout, Oklahoma has been identified as having the lowest rate among all 50 countries studied. With a turnout of only 54.99%, it is clear that this could have serious implications for a country's political health. To gain a better understanding of this issue, we looked at the other 37 countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), plus six current candidates for membership and six other economically important electoral democracies. Although there aren't many examples, there are signs that too many elections in too little time can reduce voter enthusiasm.
Bulgaria is a prime example, having held four parliamentary elections in the last 18 months. The turnout was 58.3% of Bulgarians of voting age in the first elections (April 2002), but it fell steadily to 45.8% in the most recent elections (45.8% earlier this month). And since a divided parliament has not yet been able to agree on a new government, exhausted Bulgarians may have to return to the polls sooner rather than later. Recent data released by the Pew Research Center shows that voter turnout is an important indicator of a country's political health.
The Pew Research Center is a non-partisan data bank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends that shape the world. It conducts public opinion surveys, demographic research, media content analysis, and other empirical research in the social sciences. Low voter turnout can have serious implications for a country's political health. It is important to understand why Oklahoma has been identified as having the lowest rate among all 50 countries studied.
Possible causes could include too many elections in too little time or a lack of enthusiasm for politics among citizens.
