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Articles

Vol. 37 No. 1 (2017)

What explains voter turnout in Latin America? A test of the effect of citizens’ attitudes towards the electoral

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-090X2017000100004
Submitted
December 15, 2019
Published
2017-04-30

Abstract

Research on electoral participation at the individual level in Latin America remains scarce. This article extends our knowledge about the individual-level factors that impact citizens’ propensity to vote in the region. Specifically, I assess the link be-tween citizens’ trust in the electoral process and voter turnout using recent survey data from 19 Latin American countries between 2004 and 2014. Using logistic models I show that trust in the fairness of elections has a significant and positive effect on voter turnout across the region, and that this effect is mediated by the existence of compulsory voting laws.