Why do registered voters end up not voting?

[Pres Mike]

There are hundreds of online articles about why people never vote. This phenomenon is well studied. But they usually study people who never voted in their lives or only vote once in a generation (think Obama 2008).

What isn't discussed often is when someone registers to vote, but doesn't vote. Statistically, once someone is registered to vote they tend to vote. But in most states, 10-33% of registered voters didn't vote in the 2020 presidential election.

I find this odd. Why take the time to register but not vote in the end? There isn't much on the internet to go on.

Two theories

1. People are lazy. Its pretty simple to register online but going out to vote is too much for some folks. Not much different than lazy people who didn't register.

2. Some people don't know they are registered to vote. In my state, the DMV will ask you if you want to register when renewing your licensure. I wouldn't be surprised there are people who say "yes" but don't remember when election time comes

[The Economy is Getting Worse]

There are hundreds of online articles about why people never vote. This phenomenon is well studied. But they usually study people who never voted in their lives or only vote once in a generation (think Obama 2008).

What isn't discussed often is when someone registers to vote, but doesn't vote. Statistically, once someone is registered to vote they tend to vote. But in most states, 10-33% of registered voters didn't vote in the 2020 presidential election.

I find this odd. Why take the time to register but not vote in the end? There isn't much on the internet to go on.

Two theories

1. People are lazy. Its pretty simple to register online but going out to vote is too much for some folks. Not much different than lazy people who didn't register.

2. Some people don't know they are registered to vote. In my state, the DMV will ask you if you want to register when renewing your licensure. I wouldn't be surprised there are people who say "yes" but don't remember when election time comes

They might not really prefer one candidate over another. If Biden stepped aside, I might consider not voting.

[Pres Mike]

There are hundreds of online articles about why people never vote. This phenomenon is well studied. But they usually study people who never voted in their lives or only vote once in a generation (think Obama 2008).

What isn't discussed often is when someone registers to vote, but doesn't vote. Statistically, once someone is registered to vote they tend to vote. But in most states, 10-33% of registered voters didn't vote in the 2020 presidential election.

I find this odd. Why take the time to register but not vote in the end? There isn't much on the internet to go on.

Two theories

1. People are lazy. Its pretty simple to register online but going out to vote is too much for some folks. Not much different than lazy people who didn't register.

2. Some people don't know they are registered to vote. In my state, the DMV will ask you if you want to register when renewing your licensure. I wouldn't be surprised there are people who say "yes" but don't remember when election time comes

They might not really prefer one candidate over another. If Biden stepped aside, I might consider not voting.

But this is every election. I have a hard time believing that someone takes the time to register despite disliking both canididates every election

[wnwnwn]

A busy day.

[Crumpets]

I imagine a decent number of parents make sure their kids register when they turn 18, but don't really try to enforce a mandatory voting policy after that point.

[MarkD]

There can be many other reasons. In my case when I decided,  in Dec. 2002, that I never wanted to vote again for the rest of my life,  and I didn't vote at all until March 2016, it was because I was disgusted with the Supreme Court's decision in Bush v. Gore, and more generally,  disgusted with all judicial activism, all the occasions in which the Supreme Court legislated from the bench. The Court could, some day,  prevent my vote from being counted, or strike down a law I voted for, and which I was sure was not truly unconstitutional. One of my Republican friends asked me, "What if they raise your taxes?" I replied, with much agitation in my demeanor,  "Why should I bother if the Supreme Court can hand down a ruling that prevents my vote from being counted?"

[Yelnoc]

There can be all sorts of reasons! One perhaps overlooked one is unstable residence situations. For example, in 2022 I was a Georgia resident. But in the summer some things happened and I ended up crashing in another state for several months. I could not vote in that other state, of course, since I was not a permanent resident.

Should I have requested an absentee ballot in order to vote for Warnock? Looking back, probably. But, Georgia's voter laws are strict enough that I was worried about doing it wrong and getting investigated for voting illegally or whatever. So I didn't bother.

I imagine a lot of people who are temporarily residing outside of their state, or perhaps who moved close to the election and haven't yet updated their addresses, or are students, or are temporary homeless, or... you get the point. If you could vote anywhere or if getting a mail-in ballot was more straight forward for someone with wavering residences, then you would probably see voter participation increase. But no one wants to be accused of voter fraud. Easier to not bother.

[Bernie Derangement Syndrome Haver]

I didn't vote in 2022 because I moved shortly before the election and wasn't eligible.

Lots of people haven't voted for President since 2016 because of disgust with Trump and the Democratic candidate.

[Flyersfan232]

I didn't vote in 2022 because I moved shortly before the election and wasn't eligible.

Lots of people haven't voted for President since 2016 because of disgust with Trump and the Democratic candidate.

i moved in 2021 a month after the primaries yet still voted ((though that was give a popular mayor I like my vote for the final time))

[Vice President Christian Man]

1. Lack of interest
2. Similar to 1, but registered to say they're registered as it's a "coming of age" type of deal, but doesn't actually care about voting.
3. Moved too close to the election
4. Too busy to vote
5. Forgot there was an election
6. Fell for one of those scams (like the text x to vote for Hillary one)

[kwabbit]

At least in NJ I'm pretty sure you just get registered when you get a driver's license. It's not an active decision so it makes sense that the less politically engaged would be registered but not vote.

[muon2]

In my experience talking to potential voters, the most common reason for not voting is not caring enough about any particular candidate to interrupt their daily routine to vote. They know they are registered, and know there's an election. They are just waiting for a convenient time. Even early and mail-in doesn't always help if the voter procrastinates thinking that election day is still available.