Rise of Gen Z Voters: Voter Turnout in Botswana’s 2024 General Election

Abstract

Botswana’s 2024 general election resulted in the country’s first-ever change of power from the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) to the opposition coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). The elections were also significant due to a considerably high voter turnout, despite a slight decline from the 2019 general election. Voter apathy and low voter turnout during elections have been pointed out as some of the weaknesses of Botswana’s electoral democracy. Besides many other causes of voter apathy, a history of one-party dominance has been identified as contributing to voter apathy, as studies found that many people, especially young people, do not participate because of the domination of the BDP. As a result, some scholars concluded that the long-time ruling BDP dominated elections because of the support the party enjoyed from older generations. However, following the historic defeat of the BDP by the UDC, one might wonder if there are significant changes in the demographic composition of voters in the 2024 general election. Based on this premise, this paper analyses voter turnout in the 2024 general election. Using electoral data from the Independent Electoral Commission, the paper compares voter registration and turnout in the different age cohorts. Afrobarometer data and secondary sources are also relied upon to investigate the influence of three theoretical factors: party identification, rational choice, and sociological theories. This paper argues that there was a rise in young and first-time voters in the 2024 general election, and this cohort of voters influenced the election outcomes by voting for the UDC, as its message resonated with this cohort of voters. The findings of the paper hold significant implications for Batswana’s voting behaviour, elections, and the future of Botswana’s democracy.