Another Reason to Support Marriage? Turnout and the Decline of Marriage in Britain

Abstract

There is robust evidence, spanning more than 30 years, that people who are married turn out to vote in greater proportions than do those who are single, separated, divorced or live with a partner. The difference generally persists even when age and other social characteristics are taken into account. Previous explanations for this phenomenon have focused on differential access to local and national networks that encourage voting but it appears that this approach no longer fits the facts. Arguably, married people (and the widowed) are more attuned to traditional values, including a sense of civic duty, than are those with other domestic arrangements.