Voter participation, or voter turnout, is the percentage of eligible, registered voters who cast a ballot in an election.

 

Civic participation encompasses a wide range of formal and informal activities.[68] Participating in the electoral process by voting or registering others to vote is an example of civic participation that impacts health.[69] A study of 44 countries (including the United States) found that voter participation was associated with better self-reported health, even after controlling for individual and country characteristics.[69] 

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Many different strategies can promote civic participation, including encouraging young people to be active in their community is important for promoting life-long civic participation. One study found that high school students involved in community service are more likely to vote and volunteer in adulthood.[70] Initiatives like AmeriCorps, which are designed to help young adults serve their communities, have been shown to increase civic participation later in life as well.[5, 71, 72]