The Nitty Gritty: The Unexplored Role of Grit and Perseverance in Voter Turnout

Abstract

In this paper we consider the role of general motivation, distinct from political motivation, in predicting voter turnout. Drawing on the large-scale, longitudinal Add Health dataset, we show that a measure of grit (i.e., tenacity or perseverance) measured in adolescence is a strong predictor of voter turnout in adulthood. This relationship exists independent of cognitive skills, personality measures, political interest, and many other observed and unobserved individual and contextual factors. To examine the mechanisms behind the observed relationship, we conduct a series of analyses including an original survey experiment that primes a gritty mindset. The results suggest that grittier individuals vote more because they are willing to overcome the obstacles that get in the way of voting. Compared to a control group, individuals primed to have a gritty mindset report a willingness to spend an average of 12 additional minutes waiting in line to vote and report higher levels of political efficacy.