Main content

The Voter Lottery

Can you increase turnout at elections by handing out a cash prize for one lucky voter?

Voter turnout is a problem around the world, particularly in local elections. But a small group of academics and activists in the US are experimenting with a new way of getting people to turn up and put their cross in a box – a lottery. Every voter is entered and one lucky winner gets a big cash prize. World Hacks investigates whether it works.

Also on the programme, should we be protecting our toasters and washing machines from computer hackers?

Presenter: Kathleen Hawkins
Reporter: Gemma Newby
Producer: Tom Colls

Image caption: Lottery balls about to be drawn, Image credit: Thomas Samson / Stringer / Getty Images

Available now

23 minutes

Last on

Sun 26 Feb 2017 09:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Sat 25 Feb 2017 03:06GMT
  • Sat 25 Feb 2017 09:06GMT
  • Sat 25 Feb 2017 22:06GMT
  • Sun 26 Feb 2017 09:06GMT

People fixing the world on YouTube

Watch stories of people changing their world on the World Service English YouTube channel