Which phenomenon describes voters gradually ignoring lower-profile offices on a long ballot?

• A. nonvoting voters
• B. ballot fatigue
• C. apathy
• D. time-zone fall out

Answer: (B)

The phenomenon is ballot fatigue, which happens when a long ballot with many offices and measures wears down a voter's attention. As people work down the ballot, they’re more likely to vote for the high-profile contests at the top and then skip the lower-profile ones toward the bottom, leading to reduced down-ballot participation. This effect isn’t just general apathy or a total choice not to vote; it specifically describes the cognitive load and fatigue that come with a lengthy ballot. It’s also not related to time-zone differences, which aren’t a recognized factor in why people skip races. So the best description for voters gradually ignoring lower-profile offices on a long ballot is ballot fatigue.