Grapevine

Undecided voters are less likely to cast their ballot, UK study shows

Undecided voters are less likely to cast their ballot, according to a new study which shows how the fragmentation of the political party system in the UK is fueling low turnout at elections.

The number of citizens undecided in how they'd vote has risen in Western democracies. People are becoming less partisan, meaning they have weaker ties to political parties. There are more parties on the ballot and more voter volatility.

The study, published in Electoral Studies, shows how election participation is lower when citizens are subject to high levels of competition for their vote. People in the electorate are 'in competition' when they have similar preferences for more than one party.

Dr. Hannah Bunting, from the University of Exeter's Elections Centre, found these voters have a ten point lower likelihood of voting than those with a clear political preference. The probability of voting declines from 89.1 percent to 79.2 percent when people are deliberating between two or more parties.

Dr. Bunting said, "Voters are now more indecisive, more likely to switch parties, and generally more volatile and unpredictable in their behavior. My research shows low levels of voting may be related to the more complex choices people have to make, and people becoming more indecisive."