Easy Registration and Voter Turnout

Abstract

Registration requirements are often identified as factors that depress turnout in the United States In addition, it is alleged that they contribute to the "socioeconomic skew" of the voting population because the costs of registration have greater impact on the less educated In order to gain greater insight into the effects of registration, I analyze individual turnout in states which impose minimal or no registration costs on their residents, where turnout differences may not be reasonably attributed to registration requirements Comparing turnout in these states with turnout in the rest of the country, I find that while registration does contribute to the upscale character of voters, there are substantial differences for which registration laws are not responsible.