The Effect of Voter Identification Laws on Turnout

California Institute of Technology Social Science Working Paper No. 1267R

28 Pages Posted: 17 Jan 2008

See all articles by R. Michael Alvarez

R. Michael Alvarez

California Institute of Technology

Delia Bailey

Washington University in St. Louis - Center for Empirical Research in the Law

Jonathan N. Katz

California Institute of Technology (Caltech) - Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences

Date Written: January 1, 2008

Abstract

Since the passage of the Help America Vote Act in 2002, nearly half of the states have adopted a variety of new identification requirements for voter registration and participation by the 2006 general election. There has been little analysis of whether these requirements reduce voter participation, especially among certain classes of voters. In this paper we document the effect of voter identification requirements on registered voters as they were imposed in states in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, and in the 2002 and 2006 midterm elections. Looking first at trends in the aggregate data, we find no evidence that voter identification requirements reduce participation. Using individual-level data from the Current Population Survey across these elections, however, we find that the strictest forms of voter identification requirements - combination requirements of presenting an identification card and positively matching one's signature with a signature either on file or on the identification card, as well as requirements to show picture identification - have a negative impact on the participation of registered voters relative to the weakest requirement, stating one's name. We also find evidence that the stricter voter identification requirements depress turnout to a greater extent for less educated and lower income populations, for both minorities and non-minorities.

Keywords: voter identification, turnout, Bayesian shrinkage, hierarchical model

Suggested Citation

Alvarez, R. Michael and Bailey, Delia and Katz, Jonathan N., The Effect of Voter Identification Laws on Turnout (January 1, 2008). California Institute of Technology Social Science Working Paper No. 1267R, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1084598 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1084598

R. Michael Alvarez (Contact Author)

California Institute of Technology ( email )

Department of Humanities and Social Science M/C 228-77
Pasadena, CA 91125
United States
626-395-4422 (Phone)

Delia Bailey

Washington University in St. Louis - Center for Empirical Research in the Law ( email )

One Brookings Drive
St. Louis, MO 63130
United States

Jonathan N. Katz

California Institute of Technology (Caltech) - Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences ( email )

1200 East California Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91125
United States
626-395-4191 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://jkatz.caltech.edu

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