Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This paper argues that Latinos and Asians will be more likely to be psychologically engaged and recruited where more Latino and Asian candidates are on the ballot, which in turn will result in a greater likelihood of voting. Using individual level data for the universe of more than 5 million registered voters in Los Angeles and Orange counties, we estimate probit models for voter turnout in the November 2002 general election. We introduce a unique measure for engagement and recruitment: the number of Latino and Asian candidates that appear on the ballot for all levels of office in the two counties, providing a unique count of the number of Latinos and Asians each voter had the opportunity to elect (engagement) and be contacted by (recruitment). Using these variables as proxies for engagement and recruitment, we find that the probability of Latino and Asian voting increases as the number of co-ethnic candidates on the ballot increases. For both Asians and Latinos, the effect is stronger among foreign-born naturalized voters.