Does National Voting Experience During High School Form a Voting Habit? Evidence from a Natural Experiment in South Korea

Abstract

This study examines whether high school seniors develop voting habits after their initial experience with national voting by leveraging a natural experimental situation, focusing on the reform that allowed Korean high school seniors to participate in national elections starting in 2020. Employing a regression discontinuity design, which utilizes the eligibility criteria determined by birth date, we find no clear evidence that students who voted during their senior year in high school were more likely to participate in the presidential election 2 years later or the National Assembly election 4 years later. Furthermore, there is no significant evidence that their political knowledge, political efficacy, or political interest improved meaningfully. These findings suggest that merely granting the right to vote is insufficient; systematic political education concerning political participation should be provided alongside this right.