Turnout paradox

Question 1

What is the turnout paradox

Answer 1

In large elections, the chance of being pivotal is close to 0, so why vote?

Question 2

Give 5 reasons why someone might vote

Answer 2

1) A taste for voting, Downs (1957) (benefit from voting itself)
2) Minimax-regret strategy
3) Social preferences: If i’m pivotal, I not only influence my payoff, but also that of the whole population
4) Cat and mouse -> If we all think like this, nobody votes, my vote is pivotal with probability 1
5) Ethical reasons (people fought for my right)

Question 3

What is the expected turnout rate in Myatt (2015)?

Answer 3

t ¬ u/c/NDelta

Question 4

What is the underdog effect?

Answer 4

More popular party suffers more from abstention, bringing electoral result closer together.

Question 5

What happens to Hotelling-Downs median voter theorem, when more voters and dimensions are added?

Answer 5

The theory breaks down meaning there is no equilibrium pure strategies when more parties and more dimensions are added.