Nivån på ett lands valdeltagande kan vara ett mått på hur en befolknings förtroende för de folkvalda ser ut. Är valdeltagandet högt kan det tyda på att förtroendet till de som styr samhället är stort. Syftet med den här kvantitativa studien är att undersöka om det finns något samband mellan några av samhällets socioekonomiska stratifieringsvariabler och sannolikheten för att en person går och röstar. Undersökningen utgår från fem frågeställningar angående lön, utbildningsår, social klass, samhörighet med en viss klass samt civilstånd och undersöker utifrån dessa sannolikheten för att en person deltar i val. Forskning har visat att socioekonomiska variabler har samband med en persons valdeltagande. Förhoppningen med den här studien är att kunna bidra med ytterligare kunskap inom forskningsområdet. Tidigare teorier delar framförallt upp förklaringar kring valdeltagande i tre olika perspektiv: institutionella-, individuella- och kontextuella förklaringar. Institutionella förklaringar innefattar framförallt hur reglerna kring ett lands valdeltagande ser ut, t.ex. vilket valsystem som används. Individuella faktorer innebär istället vissa personliga egenskaper som kan påverka huruvida en person väljer att gå och rösta eller inte. De kontextuella förklaringarna syftar till slut på den sociala och politiska miljö som individer vistas i och hur dessa kan påverka valdeltagandet. Den här studien fokuserar framförallt på om det finns något samband mellan de individuella egenskaperna lön, utbildning, social klass samt civilstånd och sannolikheten för att en person röstar i val. Datamaterialet utgår från levnadsnivåundersökningen år 2000 där respondenter från alla åldrar och bakgrunder ingår. Resultaten visar att antalet utbildningsår, om en person är gift eller sambo samt ålder har ett samband med sannolikheten för att delta i val. En sociologisk förklaring angående sambandet mellan civilstånd och valdeltagande skulle kunna vara att om man bor tillsammans med någon kan chansen att bli påmind om att rösta vara större än om man bor ensam.

The purpose of this study is to examine and increase the understanding of how municipalities work to increase the voter turnout In the European Parliament elections, and if this work shows an effect. Through case studies of Helsingborg and Malmö, the aim of this study is to be an example of how other municipalities work on the turnout in the European Parliament election. The approach to conduct the study is through qualitative in-depth interviews with officials and politicians who organize the European elections in each municipality. Results show that the two municipalities have both similar and different work procedures and methods towards the voter turnout. Both municipalities work towards creating a functioning early voting system and to inform the residents on where, how and when they can vote. The study shows that these reasons might lead to an increased voter turnout in both municipalities. In conclusion, both municipalities have a certain proportion of local initiatives that contribute to an increased voter turnout.

<p>The purpose of this essay is to study causes for the lack of political trust in Europe and especially in Sweden. The essay starts with a presentation of two theories about the reasons for low political trust. Robert D. Putnam among others presents a theory that gives social capital an important role when viewing the low political trust. As Putnam sees it a person that participates in any kind of organization, political or not, develop trust for other human beings that in the long run affects political trust. Pippa Norris on the other hand is convinced that political trust is connected to the performance of political institutions. She claims that for example corruption is strongly relates to political trust. The citizens of a country in which corruption is common will not trust politicians as much as the citizens in a nation where corruption is lower. In this essay, I present the current levels of trust in politicians and parliament in the countries that participate in the cross-national public opinion survey European social Survey (ESS). The investigation shows that Denmark, Finland and Switzerland have got the highest levels of political trust and that Poland, Czech Republic and Portugal have got the lowest. My analysis shows that neither gender nor age makes any difference in political trust. The comparison between political trust and participation leads to the conclusion that citizens that participate in politics have more political trust irrespective of which kind of organization they participate in. I also compare political trust and a corruption index. That comparison shows that a high level of corruption is related to a lowlevel of political trust.</p>

The purpose of this essay is to study causes for the lack of political trust in Europe and especially in Sweden. The essay starts with a presentation of two theories about the reasons for low political trust. Robert D. Putnam among others presents a theory that gives social capital an important role when viewing the low political trust. As Putnam sees it a person that participates in any kind of organization, political or not, develop trust for other human beings that in the long run affects political trust. Pippa Norris on the other hand is convinced that political trust is connected to the performance of political institutions. She claims that for example corruption is strongly relates to political trust. The citizens of a country in which corruption is common will not trust politicians as much as the citizens in a nation where corruption is lower. In this essay, I present the current levels of trust in politicians and parliament in the countries that participate in the cross-national public opinion survey European social Survey (ESS). The investigation shows that Denmark, Finland and Switzerland have got the highest levels of political trust and that Poland, Czech Republic and Portugal have got the lowest. My analysis shows that neither gender nor age makes any difference in political trust. The comparison between political trust and participation leads to the conclusion that citizens that participate in politics have more political trust irrespective of which kind of organization they participate in. I also compare political trust and a corruption index. That comparison shows that a high level of corruption is related to a lowlevel of political trust.