Work

Does disability trump family background? Determinants of electoral participation among young individuals with intellectual disability

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Systematic differences of electoral participation between various social groups indicate crucial constraints of comprehensive democratic inclusion. Yet, there is a dearth of research on electoral participation among individuals with intellectual disability (ID), whose participation rates are considerably lower than among non‐ID citizens. This study examines determinants of electoral participation among individuals with ID based on administrative records covering five cohorts of individuals from the Swedish upper‐secondary school for pupils with ID ( N = 8438), and their parents. Our main results indicate that the severity of the disability and parents who have voted are the strongest predictors of voting among individuals with ID. The latter suggests that family background is vital. However, the socioeconomic status of the families, such as parents' level of education, income, and occupation, are less pivotal factors.

Source: Political Psychology

DOI: 10.1111/pops.70187

Authors: Björn Boman, Jonas Hultin Rosenberg, Johan Wejryd

Institutions: Stockholm University, Mälardalen University, Uppsala University

Language: English

Topic: Electoral Systems and Political Participation

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,250