What does voter turnout refer to?

Voter turnout specifically refers to the percentage of eligible citizens who actually participate in an election by casting their votes. This metric is crucial in assessing the level of civic engagement within a population and can indicate how representative the election outcomes are of the overall electorate. High voter turnout is often seen as a sign of a healthy democracy, reflecting active participation in the political process, whereas low turnout may raise concerns about voter apathy or barriers to voting.

Understanding voter turnout is essential for analyzing electoral trends, political behavior, and the effectiveness of various voter mobilization strategies. It helps in drawing comparisons across different elections and demographics, allowing political scientists to study factors that influence individuals' decisions to vote or refrain from doing so.

The other options, while related to the electoral process, do not accurately capture the definition of voter turnout. The number of registered voters refers to a pool of individuals eligible to vote but does not indicate whether they actually participated. The total number of votes cast gives a raw figure of participation but lacks the context of eligibility, making it less informative about turnout rates. The average age of voters is a demographic characteristic that does not pertain directly to the concept of voter turnout itself.