Voter Turnout in Sámi Parliamentary Elections in Sweden and Norway

The paper analyses turnout in the elections to the Sami Parliaments in Sweden and Norway, using data from two voter surveys carried out in 2013. These elections differ from national elections in these two countries. First, the Sámi Parliaments have little independent political power. Second, voters have to register in a Sámi electoral roll to vote. Three levels of explanatory factors are often used to explain electoral turnout. At the individual level, we find resources and motivation. We expect these effects to be similar in the two countries. At the second and third level, we find the political context (party competition and campaign) and the institutional context. At these levels, the two countries differ (regarding, e.g., the electoral system, the party system, and the autonomy of the Sámi Parliament). Such factors are known to affect turnout across countries, but their impact in the Sámi elections have not been explored.