The use of vote centers has increased nationwide. This article examines their impact on voter turnout across different election cycles in Texas.

Texas features three fixed election cycles, providing a natural experiment to analyze the effects. The study finds that vote centers have a small positive effect on traditionally lower-turnout elections (like primaries or runoffs). However, they show no significant impact on higher-turnout elections (such as general elections).

The cumulative effect of vote centers is also modest over time.

This suggests policymakers should approach vote center implementation with caution.