Healthy voting: The effect of self-reported health on turnout in 30 countries

• We examine both the direct and indirect effect of health on turnout in 30 countries.
• The analyses are based on five rounds of European social survey (ESS).
• The results show that poor health decreases voting.
• Social connectedness partly mediates the impact of health on turnout.

Based on five rounds of European social survey (ESS), we examine both the direct and indirect effect of health, channelled by social connectedness, on turnout in 30 countries. Our analysis is the first attempt to make a comprehensive account of the magnitude of health in electoral participation. The results show that health has an effect on turnout and that it is notably larger among older people. The impact of health is partly mediated by social connectedness, which suggests that attenuated health may weaken an individual's social network which in turn depresses voting.