Voter turnout, the extent to which those who are legally enfranchised exercise the most basic of democratic rights, is increasingly an area of interest among electoral administrators, academics and policy makers. The difference in voting patterns between different age groups is of particular interest, especially the widespread low voter turnout rate amongst young voters.
International IDEA has collected voter turnout statistics by age from the following countries:
| UK | 2001 (parliamentary) | 2005 (parliamentary) |
| Age (turnout %) | | |
| 18-24 | 39 | 37 |
| 25-34 | 46 | 48 |
| 35-44 | 59 | 61 |
| 45-54 | 65 | 64 |
| 55-64 | 69 | 71 |
| 65+ | 70 | 75 |
| Source: Market & Opinion Research International |
| Guatemala | 2003 (parliamentary) |
| Age (% of total vote cast) | |
| 18-25 | 22.2 |
| 26-35 | 25.4 |
| 36-45 | 22.0 |
| 46-55 | 16.1 |
| 56+ | 14.35 |
| Source: Tribunal Supremo Electoral, Guatemala |
| Liberia | 2005 (presidential 1st round) | 2005 (presidential 2nd round) |
| Age (turnout %) | | |
| 18-22 | 64.6 | 51.8 |
| 23-27 | 68.1 | 55.3 |
| 28-32 | 70.9 | 57.5 |
| 33-37 | 73.5 | 59.5 |
| 38-42 | 74.1 | 61.3 |
| 43-47 | 75.5 | 63.3 |
| 48-52 | 74.8 | 61.5 |
| 53-57 | 75.1 | 64.2 |
| 58-62 | 73.3 | 60.6 |
| 63-67 | 71.6 | 60.8 |
| 68+ | 65.6 | 55.3 |
| Source: National Elections Commission, Liberia |
