Why some Latvian residents choose not to vote

All citizens in Latvia hold equal voting rights, yet turnout varies significantly across different groups in society. A new episode of the LSM podcast «Кейс» looks into why some residents consistently exercise their right to vote while others deliberately skip elections, believing their participation makes little difference.

Groups with lower turnout

The program's creators highlight several population groups whose voter turnout tends to be lower than average: young people, people with low incomes, and part of the Russian-speaking electorate. Lower engagement among these groups means their interests and opinions are represented less in the political process compared to segments of society that vote more actively.

Consequences for the political process

When certain groups systematically abstain from voting, their voices become, as the program describes it, effectively "unheard" in decision-making. This can result in elected institutions disproportionately reflecting the views of those who vote regularly, while the needs and interests of the rest of society are left aside.

The episode seeks to understand the deeper reasons why these particular groups — young people, low-income residents and part of the Russian-speaking population — are less likely to go to the polls, and examines how this affects the overall representativeness of the democratic process.