WHAT'S THE POINT OF VOTING?

BY: NICHOLAS APPIAH-KUBI (CONTACT) 00233558383123

WHY SHOULD I VOTE?

Why Do We Vote? The Paradox Behind Our Civic Duty

Voting is one of the most fundamental rights and responsibilities in a democracy. From a young age, we are told it's our civic duty to vote, that it’s a privilege many people around the world wish they had, and that our vote matters in shaping the future. Yet, when you stop and think about it, why do we really vote? Is it because we believe it has a significant impact on the election outcome, or is there something else at play?

In this blog, we'll explore why millions of people turn out to vote despite the odds, the cost-benefit analysis that seems to work against voting, and how social pressures, not just rational thought, play a major role in our decisions. Spoiler: it might not be as logical as you think.

The Voting Paradox: Small Chance, Big Numbers

Let’s start with the basic paradox. Statistically, the chances of your vote being the deciding factor in a major election are incredibly small. In fact, you’re more likely to get hit by a car on your way to the polling station than to cast the deciding vote. Yet, every election sees millions of Americans heading to the polls. In 2020, for example, over 158 million Americans voted, making it one of the largest turnouts in history.

If voting is such a small, individual contributor to the outcome, why do we still do it? This is a question that political thinkers have been wrestling with for decades. And while we might like to think we vote for deeply rational or altruistic reasons, the truth may be a little more complicated—and a lot more about social psychology than we realize.

Rational Choice Theory: A Flawed Explanation?

The traditional explanation for voting comes from rational choice theory, which suggests that people make decisions by weighing the costs and benefits of their options. According to this theory, we should only vote if the benefits (like influencing the outcome or fulfilling a civic duty) outweigh the costs (time, effort, and inconvenience). But, if we’re being honest, many of us don’t make rational decisions when it comes to voting.

In everyday life, we often make decisions that don’t make perfect logical sense. For example, you might pick the unhealthy cereal (hello, Lucky Charms) just because you’re in a rush, even though you know it’s not the best option. The same goes for voting. You might vote because it’s the "right thing to do," not because you calculated that your one vote will swing the election. If voting were purely about maximizing personal benefit, we’d expect a lot fewer people to show up to the polls.

Social Norms: The Invisible Pressure to Vote

So, if voting isn't just about weighing the costs and benefits, what drives us to the polls? One of the most powerful motivators is social norms—the unwritten rules about how we should behave in society. From a young age, we learn from our families, schools, and communities what is expected of us. And when it comes to voting, there’s a deep, almost unconscious pressure to participate.

Social norms don’t always come in the form of direct instructions like "you should vote"—often, they manifest as the fear of judgment or shame. Professor Don Green, a political scientist at Columbia University, points out that many people feel uncomfortable admitting they didn’t vote. In fact, when people are directly asked about their voting behavior, the fear of being seen as a bad citizen can be a strong motivator to go to the polls, even when the individual impact of their vote is minimal.

This pressure to conform to social norms is deeply ingrained in human nature. Throughout history, humans have relied on group membership for survival. We needed to belong to a group for protection, resources, and community. So, even today, we often feel compelled to follow group expectations, whether it’s voting, donating to charity, or even picking up after ourselves in public spaces. Not following the norm could result in social exclusion, and that’s something most of us try to avoid.

The Role of Social Pressure: Real-World Experiments

To show just how powerful social norms are, Professor Green and his colleagues conducted a fascinating experiment during the 2006 Michigan election. They sent out letters to voters telling them that their voting history was public information. Some of these letters also included a statement saying that their neighbors would know whether or not they voted. The result? Voter turnout increased dramatically in the group that received the letter with the social pressure message.

This experiment underscores the fact that we often make decisions based on the potential social consequences. If we know our neighbors will see whether we voted, that might be enough to push us to the polls, even if we know the actual impact of our vote is tiny.

Altruism and Group Identity: Is It About Helping Others?

We often think of voting as an act of altruism, something we do to help others or protect the greater good. But the reality is, this too is influenced by social norms. Altruism itself might not be as selfless as it seems—it could also be a learned behavior shaped by the same social forces that drive us to follow other norms.

Humans are inherently social creatures. We’ve evolved to care about the well-being of others because, historically, our survival depended on cooperation and group cohesion. Voting could very well be an extension of this evolutionary instinct to take care of the group. When we vote, we’re reinforcing our membership in the social group and contributing to its future, even if our individual vote doesn't change the outcome.

In a way, voting may be both an act of self-interest (maintaining our social standing) and a genuine desire to help others, even if we're not fully conscious of it. We vote because it's the "right thing to do" according to the norms we've internalized, and because our sense of belonging to the group (society) matters.

The Bottom Line: Why Do We Vote?

So, why do we vote? The answer is a mix of rational thinking, social pressures, and deeply ingrained cultural norms. While we might tell ourselves we vote to make a difference, to protect the rights of others, or because it's our civic duty, the real drivers behind our decisions are more complex. We vote because we feel obligated by social norms, because we don’t want to be judged, and because we want to belong to the group.

In the end, democracy is a human invention, and like all social constructs, it doesn’t follow simple, rational laws. It’s messy, imperfect, and shaped by the complex interplay of individual choices, societal pressures, and evolutionary instincts. Voting may not always be about logic—it’s often about feeling like part of something larger than ourselves.

So next time you head to the polls, remember that your decision is influenced by far more than just the political landscape. It’s part of a long history of social behaviors that have helped shape how we live, work, and interact as a society. Voting might not always feel like a rational choice, but it’s an important part of keeping the democratic process alive.

Stay curious, and don’t forget—your vote matters, even if you’re not the one who decides the outcome. It’s all part of the bigger picture.