Resources

Use our resource library to explore the latest research in the field of election science.

44 Resources

Kevin Morris, Catalina FederBarnard College2020
Voter Registration Academic Papers

This analysis focuses on whether counties that had previously been “covered” purged voters at a higher rate than noncovered counties after the coverage formula was struck down. It finds increases in purge rate of between 1.5 and 4.5 points in formerly covered jurisdictions post-Shelby, compared with counties that had not been subject to preclearance. Most of the increase came immediately, as the effect in 2014 is substantively and significantly higher than that in 2016.

Center for Election Innovation and Research2020
Voter Registration Reports

CEIR has surveyed states about voter registration database security every two years since 2018. These surveys have demonstrated widespread best practices in respondent states.

Christopher B. Mann, Paul Gronke, Natalie Adona2020
Voter Registration Academic Papers

This research finds that when automatic voter registration (AVR) is endorsed by Democratic leaders, Republicans (and independents) expect AVR to reduce the fairness and legitimacy of elections, while Democrats are generally resistant to partisan cues.

Seo-Young Silvia Kim, R. Michael Alvarez, Spencer SchneiderCalifornia Institute of Technology2020
Voter Registration Academic Papers

In this article, using data from Orange County, California, the researchers develop two methods for evaluating the quality of voter registration data as it changes over time: (a) generating audit data by repeated record linkage across periodic snapshots of a given database and monitoring it for sudden anomalous changes and (b) identifying duplicates via an efficient, automated duplicate detection, and tracking new duplicates and deduplication efforts over time.

Enrijeta Shino, Michael D. Martinez, Michael P. McDonald, Daniel A. Smith2020
Voter Registration Academic Papers

This study investigates the reliability of Florida’s voter registration files through a phone survey, asking respondents to verify their records. Authors find 17.7% of registrants fail to verify at least one identifying piece of information.

Thessalia MerivakiMississippi State University2019
Voter Registration Academic Papers

This study assesses the impact of time and registration source on the rates of rejected voter registration applications by analyzing monthly county-level voter registration reports during the 2012 election cycle in Florida. It finds that there is a dynamic relationship between administrative and seasonal factors at the county level, which condition the rates of rejected voter registrations as the registration deadline approaches.

U.S. Government Accountability Office2019
Voter Registration Reports

This report examines the tools state and local election officials use to maintain voter registration lists, which include Postal Service change of address forms and death records. Authors also review the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) efforts to ensure compliance with the National Voter Registration Act and address election fraud in 2001–2017. During this time, the DOJ's Voting Section investigated 99 alleged violations of the Act and filed 14 cases.

Jinhai YuShanghai University of Finance and Economics2019
Voter Registration Academic Papers

The results of this study demonstrate that state online voter registration increases voter turnout. The difference-in-difference analysis shows that the states’ implementation of online voter registration increases the turnout of young voters by about 3 percentage points in presidential election years.

The Pew Charitable Trusts2018
Voter Registration Issue Briefs

Pew commissioned a 2016 survey of almost 3,000 citizens in five Great Lakes states—Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio—as they exited MVAs after completing licensing transactions in order to determine the extent to which their experience complied with the Motor Voter law. Their findings touch on whether voters were offered the opportunity to register to vote or update their registration, how voters registered, and the mean transaction time to register.

Center for Election Innovation and Research2018
Voter Registration Reports

CEIR has surveyed states about voter registration database security every two years since 2018. These surveys have demonstrated widespread best practices in respondent states.

Thessalia Merivaki, Sean ConnerMississippi State University2018
Voter Registration Academic Papers

The analysis finds notable discrepancies in how voter registration data are reported by localities into Mississippi’s Statewide Election Management System (SEMS), as well as discrepancies in how such data are reported by the state to the EAC’s Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS). This suggests that some localities face more challenges in managing records under a hybrid structure than others, which can disproportionately impact voters on Election Day, depending on where they reside.

Stephen Pettigrew, Charles Stewart III2017
Voter Registration Academic Papers

Using administrative and demographic data over six two-year election cycles, the research finds strong evidence that voter lists are largely absent of deceased registrants and that election officials have gotten better at removing deceased registrants over time. The data also suggest that election officials have a much more difficult time removing registration records of those who have moved out of the jurisdiction.