Factors Influencing Voter Turnout in by-elections in Kenya: a Case Study of Embakasi South and Kajiado Central Constituencies

Abstract

Elections, by-elections, and general elections are fundamental indicators of democratic governance. Both the general elections and the by-elections are usually carried out to allow the electorate to choose their leaders in a democratic way. However, although by-elections are as important as general elections, few voters turn out to vote during by-elections. Therefore, this necessitates research to help determine factors influencing election participation to promote voter turnout during by-elections. This study investigates how voters‘ civic education and household socioeconomic status influence voter turnout during by-elections in reference to Embakasi South and Kajiado Central constituencies. The study was anchored on two theories, the Cognitive Mobilisation (CM) theory and Rational Behaviour Theory, utilizing quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. The study used a random sample of 348 respondents, of which 271 responders were residents of the Embakasi South constituency and 77 were from the Kajiado South constituency. The findings indicate that eligible voters lacked awareness and information about the electoral process and the political environment, resulting in a low turnout during by-elections. This clearly highlights the knowledge gap when it comes to civic and voter education as well as information on the electoral processes. The findings also point out that the household socioeconomic position clearly affects whether or not the respondents vote in the by-elections, as the voting process can be costly. For instance, having a better household socioeconomic position, such as higher income and education attainment, provides voters with the resources that make voting easier. Therefore, the study concludes that voters' civic education and household socioeconomic position significantly influence voter turnout. The study recommends that there is a need for the standardization of civic knowledge content and voter education to be imparted to citizens to enhance political participation and increase voter turnout in by-elections. Furthermore, these initiatives need to target younger adults to ensure their political socialization is solidified as early as possible, as they make up the majority of the nation's population