The Paradoxical Act of Voting

Abstract

One of the best-known paradoxes of voting pertains to the act of voting itself. The paradox is usually phrased as follows: why is it that many — in many countries most — eligible people vote even though the effect of their vote is very marginal and they incur real costs in voting? Certainly people vote for a number of reasons and, thus, suggesting that one motive, viz. instrumental, may be absent is hardly sufficient to make the act of voting paradoxical. Thus, we must take a little closer look at the alleged paradox.