The Conditional Effects of Same-Day Registration and Descriptive Representation

• In Event: Representation and Electoral Systems & Normative Theory Virtual Poster Session
  In Virtual Poster Session: Representation and Electoral Systems Virtual Poster Session

Abstract

In this article, I argue that, to uncover the true effect of electoral reforms on Black and Hispanic voting behavior, electoral reform scholars must also consider the role of descriptive representation on voter turnout. From a rational choice theory of political participation, citizens vote when the benefits of voting outweigh the costs. One way this cost/benefit equation is altered is through changes to electoral rules. Electoral reforms can alter the costs of participating in politics by making voting easier or harder. For example, same-day registration makes voting easier by eliminating the need to register to vote beforehand, resulting in greater participation rates in the general population and among different demographic groups. This cost/benefit equation is also affected by descriptive representation- when a voter is represented by a demographically similar elected official – which increases voter turnout through increased efficacy, interest, and mobilization. Increased efficacy and interest results in voters feeling more confident in their ability to learn about and participate in the electoral process, as well as gives voters the motivation to do so. With increased mobilization comes information regarding what laws are in place in the voter’s area (e.g. when/where is same-day registration), decreasing information and civic skill costs. At the same time, the increased likelihood of substantive representation when represented by a demographically similar elected official also results in an increase in the perceived benefits of voting.

Considering the descriptive representation and electoral reform literatures simultaneously, it is easy to see how they may be interrelated. Whether someone knows/has the desire to take advantage of electoral reforms may depend on whether they are represented by a candidate that gets them interested in the election, actively tries to inform them of the local election rules, and that they believe may better understand and advance their interests. At the same time, whether someone can actually vote for a demographically similar candidate depends on how hard or easy it is to vote, a factor determined by the electoral reforms in place. When studying the effects of electoral reforms on the voting behavior of Black and Hispanic Americans, two groups routinely found to be affected by descriptive representation, ignoring the role of such representation results in an under-specified model and can potentially bias the results.

This study brings the descriptive representation and electoral reform literatures together under the rational choice framework to examine how changes in one influence the effect of the other in predicting voter turnout. Using same-day registration implementation from 2000-2018, individual level voter turnout data from the Current Population Survey, and information regarding Black and Hispanic state legislators in all fifty U.S. states, I examine the conditional relationship between reforms, representation, and Black and Hispanic voter turnout. I argue that Black and Hispanic voters will be more likely to vote when the costs for doing so are lower and the benefits are greater. Preliminary results find Black and Hispanic voters are more likely to vote in states that have same-day registration and descriptive representation than states that have either or neither of those attributes. These results shed light on the conditional nature in which Black and Hispanic voters may be willing to take advantage of electoral reforms and vote, emphasizing the need for electoral reform scholars to more fully incorporate the role of representation and benefits alongside the costs of voting when examining how reforms affect voting behavior, particularly for Black and Hispanic voters. At the same time, these results also suggest the need for descriptive representation scholars to consider how electoral reforms may be affecting the effect of such representation.

Author

• Joseph Coll, University of Iowa