Self-Reported Turnout and Voter Validation

Based on unique time series data from 11 election studies (1956-88), about 49 out of 50 Swedes tell the truth when asked whether they voted. Over 99% of the voters say that they voted, but only 74% of the nonvoters say they did not vote. Similar to the results from voter validation studies in the United States, nonvoters in Sweden with characteristics predisposing them to vote are less likely to say they did not vote. Compared to false nonvoters (voted but said they did not), false voters (did not vote but said they did) are more likely to identify with a political party and to have expressed an intention to vote but are also less likely to have actually voted in the prior election.