Can typologies explain it all?
There is not one simple, straightforward reason why people do or do not vote. There are many motives—personal, social, institutional—for particular patterns of participation. A widespread approach aiming for a better understanding of nonvoters is to categorise them by creating typologies.
Thomas Kleinhenz—in his book “Reasons for the decline of turnout”—offers one of the most detailed typologies of nonvoters, taking into account their socio-economic status, political interests, party identifications, values and participation behaviours.
Seven types of nonvoters, but no young people | Photo by Darwin Bell on Flickr
Kleinhenz distinguishes seven types of nonvoters, each labelled with a self-explanatory name. While these do not represent homogeneous groups, you may be able to identify one or more of these fictitious characters among your neighbours and acquaintances…
- Active post-materialists
- Upper-class conservatives
- Isolated disadvantaged persons
- Passive uninterested persons
- Saturated middle-class people
- Individualist yuppies
- Disappointed workers
The decisive motives of these different types of nonvoters for their abstention are related to ineffectiveness, individualism, alienation, disinterest, satisfaction, self-centredness or dissatisfaction – all of which can—on their own or in any given combination—be valid and comprehensible reasons for different participation behaviours.
Typologies of nonvoters largely ignore young people.
New research is needed.
And yet, like most other typologies, Kleinhenz’ model does not relate strongly enough to young people—in particular those young people aged 16 to 25—representing an increasingly large proportion of nonvoters.
His typology—and, in fairness to Thomas Kleinhenz, all others that currently exist—does not apply to today’s young generation.
We need new research engaging with the characteristics and motivations of young nonvoters!