投票率

• Reading: とうひょうりつ
• Romaji: tōhyōritsu
• Kanji breakdown: 投 (tō) — cast; 票 (hyō) — ballot; 率 (ritsu) — rate, ratio, percentage
• Pronunciation: /toːçoːɾitsɯ/

Meaning

Voter turnout; the percentage of eligible voters who actually cast ballots in a given election.

A political science noun combining 投票 (voting) and 率 (rate, ratio). Low 投票率 (低投票率) is a persistent concern in Japanese democracy, particularly among younger generations. It is frequently cited in post-election analyses and debates about civic engagement. 投票率が低い elections tend to amplify the influence of organised bloc votes.

Examples

1. 今回の参院選の投票率は戦後最低水準に並ぶ結果となり、各党に衝撃を与えた。 Voter turnout in this upper house election matched the post-war record low, sending shockwaves through every party.
2. 若者の投票率を引き上げるため、各地で選挙啓発キャンペーンが展開された。 Campaigns to raise awareness about voting were rolled out across the country to boost turnout among young people.
3. 投票率が低いと、組織票を持つ政党が実際の民意以上に有利な結果を得やすくなる。 When voter turnout is low, parties with organised bloc votes tend to gain results more favourable than the true will of the people.

Usage Guide

Context: elections, political analysis, journalism, civics

Tone: analytical

Origin & History

Compound of 投票 (voting; 投 cast + 票 ballot) and 率 (rate, percentage). 率 derives from a character meaning to lead or calculate a proportion, giving the compound the precise statistical meaning of votes cast as a fraction of eligible voters.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: General