Right after the Landtag election in Bremen the subject of decreasing voter participation was openly discussed once more. Less people continue to vote, partially because less people now believe that they can change anything. The key to voter participation is called motivation – belonging to something, being able to change or participate in something.

Motivation can be created through the proper approach. The functional approach, or directly addressing the voter with their role, can be expanded through personalisation.

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There are several reasons why people decide not to partake in an election. One of the most frequent is, “It doesn’t make a difference anyway!” This is a short sentence with a large statement behind it. Because if you listen closer, at least part of this sentence is claiming, “I myself cannot change anything.” Getting […]

The democracy of universities is a precious asset. Democratic processes allow students, faculty and professors to have influence on the self-administration of the university by being represented by elected individuals on various committees. At the same time, the complexity of university elections also brings about great financial and personal expense. Continue reading

Voter turnout for the elections to the Bremen state parliament last Sunday was the lowest ever experienced in a West German Federal State and has rekindled the debate over how to reduce voter apathy in future. Studies, surveys and experience domestic and abroad tell us that online voting can help to reverse the negative trend. Continue reading