American democracy depends upon voting, yet for the individual, the benefits of voting appear largely intangible. In the present collection, psychologists, political scientists, and experts in election law present a multidisciplinary perspective on voting. Personality characteristics such as motivation, values, and efficacy are considered, as are demographic variables such as education, age, and social class. Voting is shaped, too, by institutions including schools and the media, and, evidently, by the laws and practices of government. A reciprocal relationship exists in the functions of voting for individual and society: The interplay between persons and institutions gives rise to the perception that a government is or is not legitimate, and to the sense that an individual does, or does not, belong.

Kevin Lanning received his PhD from UC Berkeley and is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the Wilkes Honors College of Florida Atlantic University. His research examines personality measurement, personality development and the structure of sociopolitical attitudes. A resident of Palm Beach County, Florida, he is a voting rights activist and the author of a number of editorial pieces on election reform. Lanning recently edited a special issue of the SPSSI electronic journal ASAP on the Social Psychology of the 2004 US Presidential Election.