Abstract
Youth turnout was at record highs in the United State in the 2018 midterm election. However, the voting rate of the 18-24 year old demographic was uneven across the US states. What causes this variation in youth turnout rates? I argue that the electoral laws in a state can explain this phenomenon. In particular, I argue that same day voter registration and younger pre-registration ages can incentivize youth turnout. I test my claims using data from the 2016 and 2018 national elections, and find partial support for my claims. My findings have important implications for the operation of democracy and suggests avenues for future elections.
How to Cite
Loudermelt, C., (2020) “Turning Out the Youth: The Effect of Electoral Institutions on Youth Voter Turnout Rates”, Capstone, The UNC Asheville Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship 33(1).
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