An election boycott is the boycotting of an election by a group of voters, each of whom abstains from voting.

Boycotting may be used as a form of political protest where voters feel that electoral fraud is likely, or that the electoral system is biased against its candidates, that the polity organizing the election lacks legitimacy, or that the candidates running are very unpopular.

T In jurisdictions with compulsory voting, a boycott may amount to an act of civil disobedience; alternatively, supporters of the boycott may be able to cast blank votes or vote for "none of the above". Boycotting voters may belong to a particular regional or ethnic group. A particular political party or candidate may refuse to run in the election and urges its supporters to boycott the vote.

In the case of a referendum, a boycott may be used as a voting tactic by opponents of the proposition. If the referendum requires a minimum turnout to be valid, the boycott may prevent this quorum being reached.

Parliamentary elections were held in Nigeria on 30 December 1964, although they were not held until 18 March 1965 in some constituencies in Eastern Region, Lagos, and Mid-Western Region due to a boycott in December. The election saw most parties run as part of alliances, the Nigerian National Alliance (the Northern People's Congress, the Nigerian National Democratic Party, the Midwest Democratic Front, the Dynamic Party, the Niger Delta Congress, the Lagos State United Front and the Republican Party) and the United Progressive Grand Alliance (the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons, Action Group, the Northern Progressive Front, the Kano People's Party, the Northern Elements Progressive Union, the United Middle Belt Congress and the Zamfara Commoners Party).

The result was a victory for the Northern People's Congress, which won 162 of the 312 seats in the House of Representatives, whilst the NNA held a total of 198 seats. However, the election was marked by manipulation and violence.

In general elections, individuals and parties will often boycott in order to protest the ruling party's policies with the hope that when voters do not show up the elections will be deemed illegitimate by outside observers.

This tactic, however, can prove disastrous for the boycotting parties. Lack of participation rarely nullifies election results and the distorted voting is likely to further detach boycotting groups from the organs of power, leaving them susceptible to political irrelevance.