Election Administration and Voting Behavior among Americans of Color

• In Event: Electoral Mistrust, Voter Confidence and Minority Voter Turnout

Abstract

In the United States, there are persistent gaps in voting participation across racial groups. Racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to vote compared to white, non-Hispanic Americans. During the 2020 election, many states drastically changed their election administration policies, notably by expanding voting-by-mail options.

These election administration changes have the potential to lower the cost of voting and increase voting participation for Americans of color. However, Americans of color have a history of political disenfranchisement in the United States. This history may lead Americans of color to distrust new forms of voting. So, how did election administration changes in 2020 affect political participation across racial and ethnic groups?

Using data from the 2020 Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Survey, we examine the relationship between election administration changes and voting participation among Black, Hispanic, and Asian American voters. In particular, we look at how moving from in-person voting to no-excuse absentee voting and moving from no-excuse absentee voting to universal vote by mail affected turnout, method of voting, and trust in government. We examine these relationships using coarsened exact matching at the state level.

In this paper, we make a contribution to our understanding of how election administration affects political participation and trust in government across races. Understanding the racialized implications of race-neutral election administration policies is critical for incorporating all Americans into the political process and strengthening democracy.

Authors

• Marayna Martinez, Princeton University

• Andrew Trexler, Duke University

• Mallory E. SoRelle, Duke University