Economic stress raises questions about voter turnout. This study uses large datasets and a survey experiment to find that while unemployment depresses participation overall, it has different psychological effects depending on the national job market.

Context Matters:

* Campaign messages blaming incumbents for low unemployment disproportionately affect unemployed voters when the actual rate is low. Messages ignoring high rates leave these voters unmotivated.

* When the national unemployment rate was low:

* Blaming campaigns triggered anger among unemployed individuals.

* Anger, viewed as a mobilizing emotion in political science, significantly increased turnout.

* When the national unemployment rate was high:

* Campaigns largely ignored the issue.

* The lack of blame or attention meant unemployed voters felt depressed and self-blame, leading to decreased participation.

This research highlights psychological mechanisms (anger vs. depression) as key drivers behind observed turnout patterns among those facing joblessness.