We are all familiar with the with the formula that ultimately decides whether or not a citizen exercises their Civic Duty and votes: P*B+D-C. This formula holds that if P*B+D > C, the rational voter will cast a vote in the election.
The 2020 Michigan turnout for the presidential election proves that the effects of and methods used to mitigate the risks of voting during the 2020 election greatly decreased the cost of voting, causing the highest voter turnout in decades. This election was just as controversial as the 2016 election in regards to the candidates selected, yet Michigan had a 14% increase in voter participation in 2020 when compared the 2016 election.
This is a direct result of Covid-19. People were stuck at home, out of work, or with a much more flexible schedule thanks to new work at home methods. These effects of the Covid-19 pandemic greatly decreased the cost of voting. This is best seen in the widespread use of absentee voting, where a ballot is dropped off at ones home and sent off to the polls from their mailbox. Fifty Seven percent of votes casted in the 2020 election in Michigan were from absentee ballots, a time and cost effective way to exercise one's political voice.
Covid-19 did the impossible and made voting more affordable. If we can learn anything from the Pandemic and Michigan's story, it is that allowing easier voting access significantly increases voter participation. This is a fact that should not be ignored by politicians devoting their life to increase civic participation!
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