Knowing What You Don't Know: The Role of Information and Sophistication in Ballot Completion

Matt Lamb and Steven Perry

Social Science Quarterly, 2020, vol. 101, issue 3, 1132-1149

Abstract: Objective We seek to examine how individual factors such as information and political sophistication can affect the likelihood of a voter completing his or her ballot. Methods Through the use of an original experiment, we examine the individual‐level effects of information and political sophistication on ballot completion. Results We find that having less information about the candidates on a ballot results in lower levels of ballot completion. On average, voters complete 19 percent less of their ballot when they possess low levels of information about the candidates involved. Moreover, there are significant differences in how political sophisticates and nonsophisticates respond to deficiencies in candidate information. Conclusion Even though voters are likely to be hesitant to make a decision for a ballot contest when they are lacking in information, political sophisticates are more comfortable making a voting choice than nonsophisticates, even when they are operating under the exact same information constraints.

Date: 2020
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