This paper examines how parenting children who become new eligible voters influences parents' own voting behavior. The research uses a regression discontinuity design with validated turnout data from Danish municipalities across four elections, identifying causal effects.
At first glance: When their child gained the right to vote, parents were considerably more likely to cast their ballot themselves (an average increase of 2.8 percentage points). This effect is substantial in Denmark where parental voting rates typically hover around 75%.
Digging deeper: The findings show this influence only occurs when children still live with their parents; no similar boost was observed once children moved out.
Why it matters: These results support 'trickle-up' political socialization theory, demonstrating that newly enfranchised voters can actually shape parental voting patterns. This challenges the traditional focus on trickle-down effects from children to parents.
