Accessible Elections: How the States Can Help Americans Vote

Recent changes in state voting and registration laws, such as same-day registration, automatic voter registration, early voting, mail voting, and no-excuse absentee voting, have been shown to benefit educated, older, and more affluent people. This book highlights the positive effects of these reforms on overall voter turnout and among voters of disadvantaged groups. It measures convenience methods and implementation of the laws and explores how elections are conducted across the fifty states. Ritter and Tolbert argue that early voting and absentee/mail voting are particularly important in the wake of covid-19 to avoid election-day crowds and ensure equitable elections.

Format: Hardback
Length: 228 pages
Publication date: 04 November 2020
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The past few years have seen significant changes in state voting and registration laws, aimed at enhancing the democratic process. These reforms encompass various measures, such as same-day registration, automatic voter registration, early voting, mail voting, and no-excuse absentee voting, where individuals can mail in their ballots. While much research has focused on downplaying the effects of these reforms, this book highlights their positive impact on voter turnout, particularly among disadvantaged groups.

In Accessible Elections, Michael Ritter and Caroline J. Tolbert delve into the diverse range of convenience voting methods across different states and conduct a comprehensive empirical analysis of their beneficial effects. They measure both the convenience methods and the implementation of these laws, exploring how elections are conducted across the fifty states. Over the past four decades, average turnout has exhibited a significant variation of more than 25 percentage points.

The authors also leverage national voter files containing millions of cases and vote histories of individuals over time to demonstrate the real effects of election reform and make a compelling case for how state governments can modernize their electoral practices. By increasing voter turnout and making the voting experience more accessible and equitable, they argue that these reforms are crucial in the wake of COVID-19 and efforts to maintain social distancing during elections.

Early voting and absentee/mail voting are highlighted as particularly important measures to avoid election-day crowds and ensure equal participation for all eligible voters. The authors emphasize the need for state governments to prioritize these reforms to strengthen democratic governance and ensure that every voice is heard in the democratic process.

Overall, Accessible Elections provides valuable insights into the impact of voting reforms on voter turnout and highlights the importance of state governments in modernizing electoral practices to promote greater participation and equity in the democratic process.

Weight: 480g
Dimension: 242 x 164 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197537251