EINWURF 2/2015: Political Inequality – New Estimates Reveal the Social Divide in Voter Turnout in Germany

The first-ever estimates of voter turnout of the social milieus, for the 2013 federal elections in Germany, show that the upper social class has a voter-participation rate up to 40 percent higher than that of the socially weaker milieus. The socially disadvantaged milieus are underrepresented in the election results by up to one-third, and they make up a share of non-voters almost twice as large as the share of non-voters of all eligible voters. At the same time, the socially stronger milieus are significantly overrepresented. (Election) surveys systematically underestimate the social divide in voter turnout.