Youth and electoral participation in Botswana

Abstract

This article focuses on the changing trends and patterns in the youth's participation in the electoral process. It examines trends in electoral participation in general and that of the youth in particular and attempts an explanation. It draws on the results of accumulated surveys and opinion polls that have been conducted over the years by the Democracy Research Project(DRP) of the University of Botswana. The article argues that the reasons for the lower participation rates among the youth are to be found in traditional Tswana society's political culture that does not consider public affairs a domain for women and the youth. This culture is reproduced by the major agencies of socialisation such as the family, school system, political parties and the media.