How to Convince Someone to Vote

Co-authored by Bridget Connolly

Last Updated: May 28, 2023

When it comes to elections in some democratic countries where citizens are free to vote, many citizens choose not to vote even though they legally have the right to do so. In fact, the United States increasingly has one of the lowest voter turnout rates of any developed nation, and voter turnout at the 2016 Presidential election was only 55%. This trend is very worrisome to politically-minded people who care about the democratic process, but it can be difficult to convince someone to vote. There are many reasons why different people choose not to vote, and if you want to convince them to take advantage of this right, then you must address all the reasons behind their choice.

Part 1

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Persuading People to Vote

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1
Create a sense of obligation. When you want to persuade someone to do something, one of the best ways you can accomplish this task is to make that person feel obligated to you. So before you ask the person to vote, do something nice and unexpected that will make that person feel the need to reciprocate the favor.^{[1]
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- To create the sense that the person owes you something, consider giving a small gift or token to the person before engaging in your conversation about voting.
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Make an argument for popularity. Another great way to persuade people is by making them feel like they're missing out, because people are much more likely to participate in something if they feel like they're the only ones not doing it.^{[2]
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- For this method of persuasion, try to have some facts and figures on hand about proud voters who are similar to the person you're trying to convince.
- For instance, if you're talking to a firefighter, have statistics on hand about how many firefighters voted in the last election, and what campaign issues they were passionate about and why.
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Make the use it or lose it argument. People are much more likely to be interested in things they can't have, so you may be able to persuade people to vote by questioning whether that right will always exist. Many people take for granted that they always have and always will have the right to vote, but shedding doubt on that may be enough to make people realize that they shouldn’t squander their votes. Consider referencing some of the following historical facts:^{[3]
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- African-Americans won the right to vote in 1870, but it wasn’t until 1965 that discriminatory laws that prevented them from voting were overturned.
- Women have only had the right to vote since 1920, meaning many great-grandmothers and some grandmothers lived in a time when they weren't allowed to cast a ballot.
- There are many countries in the world where citizens don’t get to vote and have no say in who rules their country or what kind of government dictates their laws.
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Be a likeable and relatable voice of reason. People are much more likely to acquiesce to requests from people they like and feel a connection with, so try to establish a bit of a personal relationship before asking them to vote. Even if you're total strangers, you can establish a connection by:^{[4]
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- Complimenting the person
- Finding some things you have in common
- Being nice and showing an interest in things they care about.
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Ask the person to vote. One of the most effective ways there is of getting people to vote is by simply asking them to. Once you have used your persuasion techniques, ask the person to get out and vote at the next election. You can say something like:
- “Will you please vote?”
- “Can you do me and yourself a favor and vote?”
- “Are you going to vote?”

Part 2

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Explaining the Benefits of Voting

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1
Tell the person that you must vote to have your voice counted. Especially if the person you're talking to wasn’t moved by your persuasive techniques, you can continue the conversation by explaining all the reasons why that person should vote.^{[5]
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- One of the biggest reasons that people don’t vote is because they don’t see the point, so you can explain that the only way they can be heard is by casting a vote. A vote isn't just a piece of paper: it’s a person’s way of weighing in on who should be running the country, so not voting is the same as throwing away their say in the matter.
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Explain that voting shapes the future of a country. To make this as clear as possible, use an example that showcases two very different political candidates, and go over how the election of each candidate could change the future for a particular country.
- Once you’ve explained the two very different possible realities, continue by saying that voting is your way of making sure that situation A doesn’t occur, or ensuring that scenario B does come to fruition, depending on what's important to the person you're trying to persuade.
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Offer reasons to vote for different candidates. Another main reason people cite for not voting is they don’t know which candidate to vote for, so you can alleviate this stress by knowing the candidates’ platforms and being able to explain them clearly. If you can make people understand the political platforms and what’s at stake, you may be able to convince them to weigh in by voting.
- It’s also a good idea to have a few nice things to say about each candidate, even if you don’t endorse them. People are often turned off by politicians, so if you have some nice things to say about the candidates, you'll make them seem more likeable, more human, and more relatable.^{[6]
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A major argument against voting is that it makes no difference, and if that’s the case, you may be able to convince the person to vote by showing them otherwise. The 2000 U.S. presidential election is a great example to use:
Another reason people often say they don’t vote is because they have no means of transportation to and from the polls, so you can alleviate this reason quickly and easily by offering to drive them on election day.^{[7]
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Question

Does every vote really matter?

Bridget Connolly
Political Activist
Bridget Connolly has volunteered on political campaigns at the local and federal level for over 10 years, most notably for the 2008 Obama campaign in Nevada and Josh Harder's Congressional race in 2018. She has gone door-to-door to help register voters and get out the vote in both California and Nevada.

Bridget Connolly

Political Activist

Expert Answer

Yes! For instance, the 2000 U.S. presidential election all came down to Florida, and George W. Bush won by fewer than 600 votes. If just a couple hundred more people had gone to the polls that day, the following four years of American history could have been completely different. This just goes to show that every single vote matters!

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How can I motivate people about the importance of voting?

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Perhaps you could show them images of countries where people have no say, and tell them how important it is we take part in democratic processes.

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How do I inspire anybody to vote for me?

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Follow the instructions listed in the article above.

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