The Long-Run Commuting Population: Effects on Electoral Turnout in Inner Areas

Abstract

The study leverages access to highly granular data on the population with administrative signals of long-run commuting, particularly students and workers, to explore the effect on electoral participation, with a special focus on Italy's internal areas, territories marked by depopulation, economic fragility, and limited access to service. Administrative data from 7,896 municipalities have been collected and standardised commuting indicators for students and workers have been computed to analyse the voter turnout patterns. The results show that these areas with economic decline, outmigration, and limited access to socio-economic resources often exhibit lower rates of turnout, showing how structural inequalities affect electoral behaviour. Areas marked by economic hardship and long-run commuting population are particularly vulnerable to economic limitations and less effective services. These findings assess the impact of long-run commuting on electoral participation. The study proposes a multidimensional framework that aligns socio-economic and demographic variables to support participation, advocating for an inclusive approach to building resilient communities.