Montgomery, D. (2018). Here’s why Texas voter turnout was so low, and why it’s surging now. Pew. Retrieved April 21, 2019 from https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2018/10/30/heres-why-texas-voter-turnout-was-so-low-and-why-its-surging-now
As the title of this piece suggests, its purpose was to shed light on the changes that Texas is experiencing as regards voting turnout. Montgomery laments that in the past, Texas suffered voter apathy and witnessed low turnout. However, thanks to a number of reforms, the state has experienced an impressive increase in the number of its residents who are participating in voting. Montgomery attributes this shift to the state’s decision to allow for early voting. In essence, this article presents early voting as an effective strategy for boosting turnout, particularly in state elections.
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Hajnal, Z., Lajevardi, N., & Nielson, L. (2017). Voter identification and suppression of minority votes. The Journal of Politics, 79 (2), 363-79.
Hajnal and his colleagues set out to identify the factors that are responsible for the historically low voter turnout in American elections. After an analysis of voting data, they found a direct link between voter identification laws and other efforts that seem aimed at frustrating minorities and discouraging them against voting. The voter ID laws introduce needless complications and many minority voters become so discouraged that they abandon the voting exercise. Another important issue that Hajnal, Lajevardi and Nielson explore is the effectiveness of early and no-excuse voting. They confirm that if adopted properly, these interventions help to boos turnout. This article will help to expand the discussion on the factors to blame for low turnout and the strategies that the US can adopt to increase turnout.
Bradfield, C., & Johnson, P. (2017). The effect of making election day a holiday: an original survey and a case study of French Presidential elections applied to the U.S. voting system. Journal of Political and International Studies, 34 , 19-35.
Bradfield and Johnson sought to see how the US could adopt the model that France has implemented as part of its efforts to increase voter turnout. France has made election day a national holiday. The two researchers aimed to determine how this measure affected turnout. They confirmed that by making the election day a national holiday, France eliminated a barrier, thereby fueling turnout. Bradfield and Johnson challenge the US to follow the example that France has set. The insights in this article will be included in the project to highlight the tremendous impact that making the election day a national holiday can have a positive impact on turnout.
Burden, B. C., Canon, D. T., Mayer, K. R., & Moynihan, D. P. (2017). The complicated partisan effects of state election laws. Political Research Quarterly, 70 (3), 564-76.
Burden and his team collaborated to examine how election votes affect turnout and the level of support that the Democratic and Republican parties receive from voters. They begin by declaring that generally, when states relax voting laws, they witness an increase in turnout. To explain this relationship, these researchers state that the voting laws are essentially a cost that voters incur. Many voters find the cost to be rather high and opt to stay at home. Burden and his colleagues add further that contrary to the commonly-held belief that the scrapping of election votes benefits the Democratic Party, their results show that this intervention mostly benefits candidates from the Republican Party. This article is important because it indicates that political parties may be reluctant to implement policies that boost turnout when they fear that these policies will benefit their rivals. Essentially, the article helps to explain why political parties in the US are reluctant to eliminate hurdles that discourage voting.
Enos, R. D., & Fowler, A. (2018). Aggregate effects of large-scale campaigns on voter turnout. Political Science and Research Methods, 6 (4), 733-51.
Enos and Fowler conducted a study that was driven by the goal of establishing the impact that campaigns have on voter turnout. They use data from the 2012 presidential campaigns and determined that as a result of these campaigns, a 7-8% increase in turnout was witnessed. This observation indicates that contenders vying for office have an important role to play to bolster turnout. Additionally, Enos and Fowler noted that in addition to campaigns, early voting also helps to encourage Americans to participate in the electoral process. Their article will be included in the research project because it sheds light on the role that different stakeholders can play to persuade Americans to vote.
Bursztyn, L., Cantoni, D., Funk, P., & Yuchtman, N. (2018). Polls, the press, and political participation: the effects of anticipated election closeness on voter turnout. The National Bureau of Economic Research. Retrieved April 2, 2019 from https://www.nber.org/papers/w23490.pdf
As the title of this article suggests, its purpose is to establish the relationship between election closeness and turnout. Bursztyn and his colleagues reviewed data as part of their study to determine how the two factors are related. They report that closer elections tend to stimulate turnout. This means that when voters understand that the contest among candidates is fierce, they are more likely to turn out and vote. The article answers the question of why some voters choose not to cast their ballots. As Bursztyn and his colleagues make clear, these voters feel that since the election is not expected to be close, their vote will have little impact and they therefore choose to stay at home as others vote. This article is informative and the fact that it uses data from actual elections lends it credibility and makes it relevant. It will be incorporated into the discussion on the motivations that drive voters who fail to participate in the electoral process.
DeSilver, D. (2017). U.S. trails most developed countries in voter turnout. Pew Research Center. Retrieved April 21, 2019 from https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58706fbb29687f06dd219990/t/5b108a8d70a6ad1221aa63c1/1527810701921/U.S+voter+turnout+lower+than+most+countries+-+Pew+May+2017.pdf
DeSilver details the findings studies designed to determine voting patterns in American elections. He reports that in 2016, only 55.7% of registered voters took part in the elections. While this was a significant increase over the turnout figure for such elections as the one held in 2012, it is still depressingly low, especially when compared to the situation in other industrialized nations which tend to report higher turnout. DeSilver’s article presents low voter turnout as a serious problem that threatens America’s standing on the global stage. Since the article was published by the Pew Research Center, an organization renowned for its accuracy and objectivity, there is no question that this article is indeed credible. It will prove useful in building the discussion on the need for the US to implement reforms so as to improve turnout.
Desilver, D. (2018). U.S. trails most developed countries in voter turnout. Pew Research Center. Retrieved April 2, 2019 from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/05/21/u-s-voter-turnout-trails-most-developed-countries/
The focus of this piece by Desilver is the disappointingly low voter turnout in US elections. In the article, Desilver laments that the US lags behind other developed nations as regards voter turnout. He offers the example of the 2012 presidential election for which the voter turnout stood at a paltry 56%. Desilver also notes that a majority of the American voters feel that it is important to vote. This is rather surprising given that a significant portion of the same voters fail to show up at voting centers to cast their ballots. Desilver’s article is indeed insightful and enlightening as it provides data which allows one to understand that low voter turnout is a serious problem that erodes the democratic ideals on which American governance is based. This article will serve as the foundation for the paper’s discussion on the reality of low voter turnout in the US.
Dassoneville, R., & Hooghe, M. (2017). Voter turnout decline and stratification: Quasi-experimental and comparative evidence of a growing educational gap. Politics, 37 (2), 184-200.
Through this article, Dassoneville and Hooghe answer the question of why low voter turnout should concern American voters. They compared the turnout figures in a number of developed nations and their findings left them worried. The main finding that they made is that the low voter turnout problem is not confined to the US; other industrialized nations also grapple with this challenge. Furthermore, Dassoneville and Hooghe observed that the low turnout is often accompanied by income inequalities. This observation indicates that economic disparities could fuel low turnout. If the US is to be successful in its efforts to boost turnout, it must work to address inequalities. In obtaining their findings, the researchers behind this text employed established and accepted standards and methodologies. For this reason, their text can be regarded as credible. It will be integrated into the discussion on why many Americans do not vote and the steps that the country can take to address the problem.
Stockemer, D. (2017). What affects voter turnout? A review article/meta-analysis of aggregate research. Government and Opposition, 52 (4), 698-722.
Stockemer was motivated by the desire to determine the factors that shape the dynamics of voting such as turnout. While he did not necessarily focus his study on American elections, the study nevertheless presents implications for the US electoral system. One of the key findings that he made is that when voting is made compulsory, turnout tends to be higher. Furthermore, highly important elections tend to excite the electorate and encourage involvement in the voting process. Stockemer also observed that the turnout is higher in smaller countries. The US can adopt some of these solutions in its quest to maximize turnout. Stockemer’s study involved a review of dozens of peer-reviewed studies. Given the number of studies that he included in his review, it is fair and reasonable to conclude that his study is indeed insightful, comprehensive and presents implications for practice. It will be included in the project as part of the discussion on the strategies that the US can adopt to boost turnout.
Garmann, S. (2017). Election frequency, choice fatigue, and voter turnout. European Journal of Political Economy, 47, 19-35.
In this article, Garmann focuses on the factors that discourage voting. He notes that the importance of an election is among these factors. When voters feel that the election is not crucial, they are more likely to stay away from voting centers. Another observation that Garmann describes in the article is that for elections that are scheduled close together, the later vote is likely to suffer low turnout. This article offers critical lessons that the US can adopt to improve the turnout in its elections. Its inclusion in the project is intended to shed light on the reasons that voters commonly issue to explain their refusal or inability to vote.
Elliot, K. J. (2017). Aid for our purposes: mandatory voting as precommitment and nudge. The Journal of Politics, 79 (2), 656-69.
What effect does making voting mandatory have on turnout? This is the question that Elliot sought to answer through his study. He notes that mandatory voting has mixed effects. While it may encourage some individuals to vote, it leaves others feeling that their autonomy and freedom have been violated. Elliot stops short of recommending mandatory voting as an effective approach to driving turnout. However, the text remains informative as it makes it clear that compulsory voting could help the US to tackle the challenging low voter turnout problem. While the intervention that Elliot analyzes is rather extreme and is likely to face strong opposition from American voters, it is still an interesting solution that the US could explore. It is expected that by including the insights from Elliot’s article in the research project, the urgency of fixing low turnout will become evident.
Germann, M., & Serdult, U. (2017). Internet voting and turnout: evidence from Switzerland. Electoral Studies, 47, 1-12.
Germann and Serdult based their study on the belief that internet voting has a positive impact on turnout. They examined data from polls conducted in Zurich and Geneva. Their observations are rather disappointing. According to their results, internet voting has no causal relationship with increase in voter turnout. While this finding is disappointing, it does not necessarily mean that online voting does not boost turnout. It should be noted that the study focused on cities in Switzerland whose voting dynamics different wildly from those of the US. Therefore, it can be said that when implemented properly, internet voting can encourage more people to vote.
Coma, F. M., & Trinh, M. (2016). How electoral integrity affects voter turnout in democracies. Australian Journal of Political Science, 52 (1), 53-74.
The effectiveness and stability of any democratic system hinges on the level of confidence that the electorate has in the system. As Coma and Trinh noted, low levels of confidence in democracies suppresses turnout. When voters feel that their wishes will not be respected, their likelihood of participating in an election is lower. On the other hand, stable democracies that guarantee that voter’s opinions will be heard and respected witness higher turnout levels. This observation presents implications for the US. If the country is truly dedicated to increasing voter turnout, it must fix the issues that erode public confidence in the electoral process. For example, voter suppression laws should be eliminated. The article by Coma and Trinh derives its persuasive quality from the fact that it adopts a global approach in its exploration of how public confidence in elections affects turnout. It is hoped that the inclusion of this article in the project will help in the creation of solutions that the US can implement to restore public confidence in the democratic process.
Biggers, D. R., & Hanmer, M. J. (2017). Understanding the adoption of voter identification laws in the American states. American Politics Research, 45 (4), 560-88.
Biggers and Hanmer admit that in the recent past, more and more states have been adopting voter ID laws. They note that this trend is not new and various states in the US have historically implemented similar laws and policies. They then attempt to identify the roots of the ID laws. According to Biggers and Hanmer, the laws have partisan and entirely political roots. They determined that state governments led by Republican Governors are more likely to introduce the laws. Furthermore, the duo reports that such minorities as African Americans are most affected by the voter ID laws. The main take-away from the article is that the voter ID laws discourage people from voting.
Grimmer, J., Hersh, E., Meredith, M., Mummolo, J., & Nall, C. (2018). Obstacles to eliminating voter ID laws’ effect on turnout. The Journal of Politics, 80 (3), 1045-51.
Grimmer et al. begin by confirming that voter ID laws have an adverse impact on turnout. States with such laws in place tend to suffer low turnout. According to Grimmer and his colleagues, turnout is particularly poor among minority communities. It is true that the article by these scholars sought to establish the challenges that researchers encounter when conducting studies on how to eliminate ID laws which have been shown to suppress voter participation in elections. However, despite its rather general scope, the article is still informative as it challenges policymakers to recognize that voter ID laws threaten democracy. The credibility of the article mostly stems from the fact that it is based on arguments and data contained in other peer-reviewed scholarly studies. It is hoped that by including this article in the project, a deeper understanding of how voter ID laws impact turnout will be gained.
Highton, B. (2017). Voter identification laws and turnout in the United States. Annual Review of Political Science, 20, 149-167.
How laws governing voter identification impact turnout in local, state and national elections is the key question that Highton set out to answer. He begins with the hypothesis that these laws tend to suppress turnout. After consulting a number of studies conducted by other researchers, Highton found that the voter identification laws do indeed discourage voters from taking part in elections. When a voter feels that the hassle of proving their identity is immense, they are more likely to stay at home and avoid the trouble. Highton’s finding should challenge those that conduct elections to relax voter identification laws. His article is relevant because it sheds light on one of the factors that are to blame for low voter turnout in the US.
Keele, L., & Titiunik, R. (2018). Geographical natural experiments with interference: the effect of all-mail voting on turnout in Colorado. CESifo Economic Studies, 64 (2), 127-149.
Keele and Titiunik conducted a study whose goal was to establish if an all-mail voting system improved voter turnout. They used data from polling areas in Colorado. One of the areas used an in-person voting system while the other area employed an all-mail system. The two areas offered the perfect opportunity to test the effectiveness of mail voting. According to the findings from the study, the all-mail system had a suppressing effect on turnout. Whereas it is true that this finding is disappointing, it does not render mail voting ineffective. It simply means that this voting method should be combined with other approaches to maximize turnout.
Kennedy, C., Blumenthal, M., Clement, S., Clinton, J. D., Durand, C., Franklin, C., McGeeney, K., Miringoff, L., Olson, K., Rivers, D., Saad, L., Witt, G. E., & Wlezien, C. (2018). An evaluation of the 2016 election polls in the United States. Public Opinion Quarterly, 82 (1), 1-33.
The central focus of this article is how opinion polls in 2016 failed to predict the victory of Donald Trump. However, the article also sheds light on voter turnout and its relationship with the candidate that voters support. According to Kennedy and his colleagues, the ideologies that particular candidates represent have a significant impact on voter turnout. These researchers state that between 2012 and 2016, the US witnessed a dramatic shift in voter turnout which led to the election of Trump. The credibility and accuracy of this article lies in its use of standard and established procedures to show that candidates have an impact on turnout. Furthermore, this article is relevant because it explores a subject that iss still part of public discourse and has stunned many. The article will be used to expand the discussion on the impact that various factors have on voter turnout.
Ruth, T., Matusitz, J., & Simi, D. (2017). Ethics of disenfranchisement and voting rights in the U.S.: convicted felons, the homeless, and immigrants. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 42 (1), 56-68.
These scholars note that historically, vulnerable groups such as convicted felons, immigrants and homeless people have faced challenges in their quest to participate in elections. For example, most states in the US strip felons of their right to vote such that even after their release, they are unable to determine who leads them. Taking the form of a narrative review, this article presents the restoration of the voting rights of felons as a promising strategy that could increase turnout while respecting the rights of this vulnerable group. This article allows one to understand that the US cannot be regarded as truly democratic until it allows all of adult citizens to vote. It will play a vital role in shedding light on the benefits that the US will be poised to register when it eliminates laws and policies that disenfranchise such populations as convicted felons and the homeless.
Potrafke, N., & Roesel, F. (2018). Opening hours of polling stations and voter turnout: Evidence from a natural experiment. In the review of international organizations. New York: Springer.
Potrafke and Roesel performed a study whose purpose was to determine how opening hours affected turnout. Essentially, they sought to establish if keeping voting centers open for longer would encourage citizens to go and vote. Using the election data from an Australian state, this duo confirms that longer voting hours do indeed bolster turnout. Their article’s importance lies in the fact that it provides lessons that the US could adopt as it seeks to boost turnout. When the US voting centers stay open for longer, the country can expect to witness a dramatic rise in turnout.
Menger, A., Stein, R. M., & Vonnahme, G. (2017). Reducing the undervote with vote by mail. American Politics Research, 46 (6), 1039-64.
Menger, Stein and Vonnahme examined the role that voting by mail has on turnout. To establish the relationship between the two factors, they investigated the situation in Colorado which is among the states that have adopted mail voting as part of efforts to make the voting process more convenient. They confirmed that mail voting does indeed increase turnout and general participation in electoral matters. However, they note that this effect is most pronounced in presidential elections which tend to be more competitive. The empirical approach that Menger and his team adopt lends credibility and authority of the article. Its inclusion in the research project is based on the fact that it will present insights on the benefits that mail voting delivers and the positive effect that it has on turnout.
Walker, H. L., Herron, M. C., & Smith, D. A. (2018). Early voting changes and voter turnout: North Carolina in the 2016 general election. In political behavior. New York: Springer.
Walker and his colleagues aimed to determine the impact that the electoral changes that North Carolina adopted in the lead up to the 2016 elections had on voter turnout. They note that different areas within the state adopted different reforms and therefore had varying experiences as regard turnout. Among the changes that the state adopted is early voting. As Walker and his team observed, this change led to an overall increase in turnout. The example of North Carolina shows that when state and local governments introduce provisions for early voting, a surge in turnout is likely to be witnessed. What makes the article by Walker et al. distinct is the fact that it is based on an actual and recent election. Therefore, it will serve as the foundation for the argument that early voting works in fueling voter turnout.
Root, D., & Kennedy, L. (2018). Increasing voter participation in America. Center for American Progress. Retrieved April 2, 2019 from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/democracy/reports/2018/07/11/453319/increasing-voter-participation-america/
The various strategies that the US has adopted to make voting more convenient and to increase participation among voters in political affairs are the focus of this article. Permanent/automatic registration is one of the strategies that Root and Kennedy discuss. They contend that this strategy is generally effective. To highlight the impact of automatic registration on voter turnout, they offer the example of Oregon. Since adopting this strategy, Oregon has experienced a significant jump in turnout. This article uses real examples to make it clear that automatic registration works. Its inclusion in the project will aid in the understanding of the benefits that permanent/automatic registration delivers.
Solvak, M., & Vassil, K. (2017). Could internet voting halt declining electoral turnout? New evidence that e-voting is habit forming. Policy & Internet, 10 (1), 4-21.
When they set out to conduct the study whose findings are detailed in this article, Solvak and Vassil were motivated by a desire to confirm if internet voting increases turnout. In the article, they note that there is little research that has been conducted to shed light on the effectiveness of online voting. After analyzing survey data, they observed that in general, individuals who voted using the internet tended to continue to participate in subsequent elections. This means that online voting helps to form habits which enhance turnout. Therefore, Solvak and Vassil conclude that by forming habits, online voting boosts turnout. This article is vital because it makes it clear that such technologies as the internet can be leveraged to increase the number of people taking part in elections.
Domonoske, C. (2018). A boatload of ballots: midterm voter turnout hit 50-year high. NPR. Retrieved April 21, 2019 from https://www.npr.org/2018/11/08/665197690/a-boatload-of-ballots-midterm-voter-turnout-hit-50-year-high
Domonoske announces that in the 2018 mid-term elections, millions of Americans decided to vote. This is encouraging given that in previous midterm elections, the turnout has been disappointingly low. Domonoske attributes the high turnout in 2018 to a range of measures that the country adopted. These measures included celebrities encouraging Americans to vote and drives to eliminate policies which suppress voting. While she celebrates the progress that the US has made, Domonoske laments that serious challenges remain. For example, she notes that some states in the country are still passing restrictive voter ID laws and that these laws depress turnout. The decision to consult Domonoske’s article was founded on the fact that it is insightful and paints a bright future for American elections. Her article will serve a critical function in providing the research project with the insights needed to challenge stakeholders to implement solutions to the historical low voter turnout challenge.
