Democrats are significantly less likely now (39%) than they were in the summers of 2004 and 2008 to say they are “more enthusiastic about voting than usual” in the coming presidential election. Republicans are more enthusiastic now than in 2008, and the same as in 2004. [cont.] Jeffrey M. Jones, […] Read more »
The Challenge of Obtaining Voter Identification
Ten states now have unprecedented restrictive voter ID laws. Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin all require citizens to produce specific types of government-issued photo identification before they can cast a vote that will count. … This report is the first comprehensive assessment of […] Read more »
Support for Voter ID Laws Strongest Among Those with Negative Attitudes Toward African Americans
A new National Agenda Opinion Poll by the University of Delaware’s Center for Political Communication reveals support for voter identification laws is strongest among Americans who harbor negative sentiments toward African Americans. [cont.] University of Delaware Read more »
Can Science Plant Brain Seeds That Make You Vote?
… Back in 1998, during midterm elections, two political scientists, Donald Green and Alan Gerber, decided to do a series of randomized experiments in Connecticut. … They wanted to understand what works. Which campaign tactics actually changed minds? Was it better to use direct mail? Phone banks? Canvass door to […] Read more »
A better way than runoff elections
North Carolina’s primary election on May 8 saw a high turnout, with nearly three times as many voters showing up as in 2010’s primary. Unfortunately, the primary runoff elections on Tuesday will likely drop to single digit turnout. … There is value in requiring nominees to have substantial support in […] Read more »
Texas’ poll tax in disguise
In 1964, the American people enacted the 24th Amendment, to prevent the exclusion of the poor from the ballot box. In his speech last week at the NAACP convention, U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. wasn’t indulging in election-year rhetoric when he condemned Texas’ 2011 voter photo identification law […] Read more »