Voter Turnout based on Income : Investigating Voting Behavior in the U.S. Presidential Election of 2016

Abstract: To be able to see if voter turnout can be enhanced, studying income is of interest. This researchpaper attempts to answer the following thesis question: “How can voter turnout in the 2016 presidential election be explained by income?” The conclusion drawn is that income, measured in GDP per capita, does affect voter turnout, however the exact influence is hard to determine.This research paper agrees with Wolfinger & Rosenstone (1980), that income rather plays a role until a voter has received a point where they can attain a “modestly comfortable standard of living”. Beyond this threshold, there are other variables and preferences that determine voter turnout. Therefore, COVI, that studies the cost variable within the utility hypothesis model, cannot explain voter turnout in relation to income. To better address voter turnout based on income, one would have to use a more extensive index and include other variables andpreferences.