In this commentary, Gary Henry explains that the Danes have got it right, again. Not only is their voter turnout high to begin with, but they are evaluating ways to increase voter turnout with "random variation" to accurately assess the effects of the innovations. In the Danish 2009 municipal elections, 65.8% turned out to vote, which…

Democratic institutions often do not evaluate their instruments. By working closely with authorities, we developed a field experiment to examine an initiative to increase voter turnout among 18-year-olds that had not previously been evaluated. Particular attention was paid to developing an appropriate program theory and to designing the evaluation…

Last year, fifth-graders at the Herricks Union Free School District in New Hyde Park, New York, studied the U.S. presidential primaries while following elections in Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Kenya. At South Brunswick High School in Southport, North Carolina, history students discuss battles of the Civil War via live teleconferences with counterparts…