Elections around the world are plagued with the problem of unequal levels of participation. This can have profound consequences for election results, representation and policy outcomes.

A special issue of Policy Studies has just been published focusing on the interventions that can be used to redress the turnout gap and other inequalities within the electoral process.

The introduction defines the concept of inclusive voting practices to refer to policy instruments which can reduce turnout inequality between groups and mitigate other inequalities within the electoral process. It makes the normative case for interventions from electoral officials and state apparatus to adopt inclusive voting practices.

The remaining articles are then studies from around the world examining how policies can affect inclusivity on election day. This includes studies of enfranchising felons and migrant communities, compulsory voting, voter id requirements, voter registration practices, investment in electoral management, gendered electoral violence, accessible voting practices, overseas voting. The special issue should be of interest to scholars of democracy, democratic theory and elections, as well as having major policy implications worldwide.

1. Introduction: The Case for Inclusive Voting Practices Toby S. James and Holly Ann Garnett
2. Restoring Voting Rights: The Effects of Reversing Felon Disenfranchisement on Political Efficacy Victoria Shineman
3. Are inequalities in representation lower under compulsory voting? Eric Guntermann, Ruth Dassonneville and Peter Miller
4. Conceptualizing More Inclusive Elections: Violence Against Women in Elections and Gendered Electoral Violence Paige Schneider and David Carroll
5. Electoral integrity, voter fraud and voter ID in polling stations: lessons from English local elections Toby S. James and Alistair Clark
6. Implementing Voter ID: Lessons from Missouri, USA Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball
7. ‘Waiting to vote: the effect of administrative irregularities at polling locations and voter confidence’ Bridgett King
8. Disability and Election Administration in the United States: Barriers and Improvements April A. Johnson and Sierra Powell
9. Migrant Populations and External Voting: The Politics of Suffrage Expansion in Central America Kevin Pallister
10. Inclusive voting practices: lessons for theory, praxis, and the future research agenda Toby S. James and Holly Ann Garnett