This article examines voter suppression across U.S. history. It explores two forms: decentralized violence seen during Jim Crow era lynchings, and centralized law-based restrictions.
Context & Evolution of Voter Suppression
Lynchings and associated violence represented early, decentralized methods.
Recent state-level laws show a shift toward centralized, nonviolent approaches.
The paper argues that suppression tactics change based on political competition intensity and government capacity. When formal restrictions are difficult to pass or enforce, informal violent measures emerge.
Theoretical Framework & Argument
Political scientists now understand voter suppression through this evolving lens.
It shows how external constraints and internal state capacities shape suppression methods.
| Rule By Violence, Rule by Law: Lynching, Jim Crow, and the Continuing Evolution of Voter Suppression in the U.S. was authored by Brad Epperly, Christopher Witko, Ryan Strickler and Paul Whiite. It was published by Cambridge in POP in 2020. |
