Early Voting's Impact on US Local Elections

Voter turnout in local elections is paradoxical. It is where government is closest to those governed and where many first become politically active; yet, it is also where political participation in the form of voting is the lowest. If high participation is an indicator of a healthy democracy, then what can be done to increase participation at the local level? Early voting has long been perceived to increase voter turnout, and there is evidence to suggest that early voting does have an impact on turnout. A majority of early voting scholarship, however, focuses on turnout at the national or state level. What is not clear is how early voting influences turnout at the local level. In the wake of partisan controversy surrounding early voting policies and the reduction of early voting periods in many states, it is important to understand the impact of such policies on all types of elections. Localities are the bedrock of American democracy. Understanding what factors could increase turnout at the local levelwhere it is devastatingly lowprovides valuable insight on local participation, election administration, and early voting laws for scholars and decision-makers alike.

Provides a unique study of early voting's impact on turnout in local elections Examines the impact of a variety of early-voting laws, i.e. vote by mail systems versus in-person early voting Collects data that provides valuable insight on small localities (populations of 7000 or less)

Auteur
Gayle A. Alberda is Assistant Professor of Politics and MPA Director at Fairfield University, USA. She received her PhD in Political Science from Wayne State University, USA. She has extensive work experience in the political field including lobbying, and working on numerous campaigns such as president, governor, US Senate, and city council. She often serves as a political analyst for the media commenting on local, state, and national politics for local, regional, national, and international print and broadcast media.

Texte du rabat

This timely book delivers some well-deserved attention to local government and municipal elections. The main findings, that early voting does not increase turnout in local elections, will give election observers and reformers something to think about.

David C. Kimball , University of Missouri - St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Gayle Alberda advances our theoretical and substantive knowledge on the impacts of early in-person voting periods on the low information, low exposure, and low turnout contexts that are municipal elections, and advises caution on pinning democratic hopes on innovations like early in-person voting periods.

Kyle Saunders , Professor, Department of Political Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

Professor Alberda's systematic analysis fills an important gap in our understanding of this issue. Her findings should give pause to those who think that early voting is a panacea to our participationproblem in the United States. Scholars and voting advocates alike should pay attention to this important book.

Brady Baybeck , Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA

Early voting has transformed Election Day, which has profound effects on voter turnout. An analysis of this popular election reform indicates the relationship between early voting and turnout is incredibly complex. As the findings of this book reveal, early voting lowers turnout in local elections. With the growing partisan controversy surrounding early voting policies and the decrease of early voting periods in many states, understanding the relationship between early voting and turnout is paramount, especially in local elections where turnout is devastatingly low.

Gayle A. Alberda is Assistant Professor of Politics and MPA Director at Fairfield University, USA.

Contenu
Chapter 1. All Politics are Local. - Chapter 2. Early Voting as a Policy Solution. - Chapter 3. Is Early Voting a Solution? - Chapter 4. Offsetting the Impact of the Reforms. - Chapter 5. Are Localities Healthy Democracies? - Chapter 6. The Complexity of Local Elections and Early Voting.