POLSCI 242 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Well-Founded Relation, Early Voting, Electronic Voting
8 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
POLISCI 11.13 Lecture Notes
Voting Methods and Reforms
Goals of Reforms
1) Lower costs of voting
2) Voter confidence
Also, the consideration of the challenger of identifying the impact
o Self-selection
▪ Ex: Minnesota laws impose the least cost for voter registration – is it the Minnesota
political culture that leads them to self-select those laws?
o Multiple factors
▪ Hard to access how this one piece matters – in accessing the impact of something,
we cannot isolate one element like it’s an experimental setting
o Laws v. individual factors
▪ Legal matter or does it involve characteristics of individuals
Registration
14% of eligible voters are not registered in the US
Voter turnout is very low during midterm elections
One of the main sources of costs is voter registration – varies acorss the states
Ex: Election Day registration is viable in some states like Maine, Minnesota, etc.
Closing dates vary (ex: having to be registered 25 days in advance)
Potential costs of closing days
o 3-4 million boost (3% increase) if we didn’t have closing dates
Early voting: the process by which electors can vote on a single or series of days prior to election
day
o Early voting can take place remotely, such as by mail, or in person, usually in designated
early voting polling stations
People voting early are often older voters (voters who could have voted even without early
voting)
o So, lowers costs of voting for voters, but doesn’t necessarily change who votes
People who take advantage of these reforms may be people who are habitual voters doesn’t
change the composition of voting population
How should we evaluate election reforms?
o Increase in voter turnout?
o Showing evidence of an effect? The magnitude of the effect?
o If voter turnout increases, are they informed voters?
Election day registration – less time to verify identity of voter – increased chances of voter fraud
More costs? – such as hiring additional workers
Opponents who say that the boost in turnover isn’t sufficient enough to justify cost increases
Voter ID
Voter ID laws have the purpose of protecting against voter fraud
o Ex of exception: someone who passes away, child can turn in absentee ballot
Most voter fraud cases have been due to clerical error
Fears of voter fraud well-founded?
There is no conclusive evidence that voter ID laws reduce turnout
Administration of votes area with more consensus
o Administrators’ personal beliefs influence the enforcement of laws
o Ex: New Mexico: administrators’ personal beliefs about mandatory photo ID changed their
behavior on whether they asked for photo ID
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
One of the main sources of costs is voter registration varies acorss the states. Ex: election day registration is viable in some states like maine, minnesota, etc. Closing dates vary (ex: having to be registered 25 days in advance) 14% of eligible voters are not registered in the us. Voter turnout is very low during midterm elections: legal matter or does it involve characteristics of individuals, early voting can take place remotely, such as by mail, or in person, usually in designated. Early voting: the process by which electors can vote on a single or series of days prior to election. People who take advantage of these reforms may be people who are habitual voters doesn"t. Election day registration less time to verify identity of voter increased chances of voter fraud. Voter id laws have the purpose of protecting against voter fraud change the composition of voting population. How should we evaluate election reforms? day voting) early voting polling stations.
