This article examines how targeted postcard mailings by the state government increased voter registration and turnout in Pennsylvania. The study reveals that even simple postal interventions can significantly impact electoral participation when strategically designed.
Using a mixed-methods approach, researchers analyzed both quantitative data on registration increases/turndown rates across different regions of the state as well as qualitative insights from local officials about postcard effectiveness.
The findings indicate statistically significant correlations between certain demographic groups and response rates to these communications. This suggests that carefully crafted messaging may be more effective than previously assumed in mobilizing citizens at scale.
| The Power of the State: How Postcards from the State Increased Registration and Turnout in Pennsylvania was authored by Michael Hanmer, Lisa Bryant, Alauna Safarpour and Jared McDonald. It was published by Springer in Pol. Behav. in 2022. |
