text: It depends upon a lot of factors.  In a totalitarian state where elections have only one candidate, it would make very little diffence in the gov't, although you might get noticed and persecuted for not voting, as was the case in the former Soviet Union.\n\nIn very large nations, like the US, if even half the people, or even fewer, vote, it is still a large enough sample of citizens to ensure that the will of the people is heard.  Think of sampling in polling research to understand this.  If a sample is carefully randomized and stratified a very small number of "votes" will tell you what the majority of the people want, or are thinking.\n\nBut in a true democracy, if all, or a very large percent, of the people don't vote, then it becomes quite easy for the gov't to become totalitarian and change the nature of the entire society from democracy to some form of autocracy.  It has been said by some very wise person that, in a democracy, the people always get the gov't they deserve.  If they don't take advantage of the freedoms of a democracy, like voting, they will lose that right and most of their other rights; and that's what a non-voting society deserves.