Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: In this paper we examine the effectiveness of electoral reform and competitiveness in reducing the participation gap between young and older citizens. Using the 2004 Current Population Survey: Voter Supplement we test the effects of Election Day registration, unrestricted absentee voting, early voting and presidential margin of victory on the relationship between age and turnout. The results of the project suggest that Election Day registration is effective at mobilizing younger voters into the electorate, while unrestricted absentee voting appears to facilitate voting among both young and older citizens. Early voting was found to have little to no substantive impact on the relationship between age and the probability of voting. The presidential margin of victory in a respondent’s state of residence was effective at mobilizing young and middle-aged citizens into the voting booth but had little effect on the elderly citizens.