Beyond Ballots: Voter Abstention Takes Two Forms Under Brazil's Compulsory Election Law

Under compulsory voting, citizens use two main methods to abstain from elections: invalid voting and absenteeism. This paper analyzes these forms in Brazil, the world’s largest mandatory-voting democracy.

Research Context:

The mechanisms driving each form of non-participation have not been systematically compared. Using Bayesian inferential methods on individual- and district-level data,

Key Findings:

• Less educated citizens are more likely to abstain from voting entirely

• When they attempt to vote, their lack of political knowledge often leads to invalid ballots

• Unlike absenteeism driven by practical reasons like work schedules, invalid voting reflects a deeper political disengagement with democracy itself.

Policy Implications:

The study shows both forms of abstention coexist and together undermine electoral participation in countries with compulsory voting laws.