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.
| Vote Centers and Turnout by Election Type in Texas was authored by Brandon Rottinghaus and Jeronimo Cortina. It was published by Sage in R&P in 2019. |
