Quantity vs. Quality of Education: Expanding Our Understanding of How Education Causes Voting (Poster 45)

• In Event: Sunday Poster Session 9:35 am
  In Poster Session: Democratic Citizenship in Education: Varying Topics

Abstract

In the study of political participation, individuals with more education are more likely to vote. However, we do not know much about how education causes voting. This paper explores whether measures of educational quality at state and school district levels can explain voter turnout, as these are the units most in control of education policy. Using two-way fixed effects models with state-level and district-level panel data between 2010 and 2020, this paper finds that, while both state and district measures of quantity in education (degrees held) significantly predict turnout, lagged measures of educational quality exhibit no relationship with voter turnout rates. These findings contribute to an ongoing debate as to how education can best enhance civic participation.

Author

• Cameron J. Arnzen, Brown University