How Do Differing Voter Preregistration Policies Impact Turnout?

Open Access

Author:: Sykes, Zion
Area of Honors:: Political Science
Degree:: Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:: Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:: Michael Barth Berkman, Thesis Supervisor
Michael Barth Berkman, Thesis Honors Advisor
Matthew Richard Golder, Faculty Reader
Keywords:: Voter Turnout
Youth Voter Turnout
Preregistration Policy
Abstract:: I examine whether variation in voter turnout (with an emphasis on youth turnout) can be explained by policies that dictate voter preregistration guidelines across the United States. While the existing literature finds that voter preregistration policies can positively affect youth turnout, little research compares how differences in state-level preregistration requirements or restrictions shape this impact. Through regression analyses of states’ voter turnout data across presidential elections, the results showcase that somewhat restrictive forms of voter preregistration policy have a significant impact on youth and overall voter turnout in the positive direction wheras the least restrictive and most restrictive forms have a negative impact.