The effects of age, generation and period on turnout in Finland 1975–2003

Abstract

The study examines simultaneously the effects of age, generation and period in the Finnish parliamentary elections of 1975–2003 based on pooled data from Finnish Voter Barometers ( N = 8634). The probability of voting rises with age among three younger generations eligible to vote, and both during the period of increasing and stable turnout (1975–1983), and the period of declining turnout (1987–2003). The largest average difference between generations is 11.2 percentage points. The probability of voting is 8.4. points lower during the latter period. Finally, turnout would have been 2.1 points higher in the 1999 elections than in 1987 elections, if there had not been generational replacement. Consequently, the results of study in Canadian elections [Blais, A., Gidengil, E., Nevitte, N., Nadeau, R., 2004. Where does turnout decline come from? European Journal of Political Research 43(2), 221–236] apply also in the Finnish context.