TEHRAN, Iran — For years, a boycott has been proposed by opposition groups on the eve of every election in Iran. The idea is neither new nor necessarily related to the disputed 2009 presidential election and its aftermath. Rather, it goes back to the 1997 presidential election, which resulted in the coming to power of Reformist Mohammad Khatami.

Around that time, certain groups believed that the election's results were predetermined and that conservative candidate Ali Akbar Nategh-Nouri would, without a doubt, become the next president of Iran. As a result, some opposition groups boycotted the elections and advocated not showing up at the polling booths at all. The number of Iranians who endorsed this strategy, however, was evidently not large. Indeed, polls later showed that some 80% of eligible voters did in fact vote. Nevertheless, as time went by, the idea of boycotting elections as a political statement gained more support, and with the expansion of mass and social media, boycott proponents became better able to present their point of view to the public.

For instance, boycotts weighed heavy on the 2004 parliamentary elections and also the 2005 presidential vote, which ushered Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power. However, support for a boycott reached its peak after the disputed 2009 presidential elections. After Ahmadinejad was declared the winner, a large portion of Iranian society decided to boycott the subsequent election: the 2012 parliamentary polls. Indeed, according to the Ministry of Interior, only 48% of eligible voters showed up to cast their ballots. Voices in favor of a boycott were also active at the time of the 2013 presidential elections, and for the first time, a serious discussion on the idea emerged between pro- and anti-boycott groups. The Principlists were not part of this discussion, while the Reformists tried to gain the support of “silent voters” by encouraging them to vote. The Reformists’ actions bore fruit as moderate President Hassan Rouhani succeeded Ahmadinejad.

Although Rouhani’s election suggested success for the Reformists, the idea of boycotting has once again come to life on the eve of Iran’s parliamentary elections. It is not, however, as strong as the rival “I will vote” campaign. Indeed, a lot of young supporters of the Reform movement have changed their profile pictures on social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Telegram to an image that reads, “I will vote.” These young proponents of voter participation are doing their utmost to convince others to participate as well.