When, Where, and How We Vote: Does it Matter?

Autor: Robert M. Stein, Greg Vonnahme
Rok vydání: 2012
Předmět:
Zdroj: Social Science Quarterly. 93:692-712
ISSN: 0038-4941
DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6237.2012.00863.x
Popis: Objectives. In this article, we explore the different ways Americans exercise their right to vote on Election Day and how these alternatives shape the voter’s experience. Methods. Our study draws on data collected from exit polls with Election Day voters in the 2008 Colorado presidential election. Colorado is unique among the 50 states in that it affords it voters the widest array of voting options, both before and on Election Day, and thus provides an ideal setting for testing our hypotheses. Results. We find voting places that are more accessible and open (i.e., voters can vote at more than one location on Election Day) significantly enhance voter performance and evaluation. In several instances, this finding is attenuated for infrequent voters. Conclusions. There are valuable lessons regarding the centralization and location of polling places that could be applied to precinct voting models. Counties might concentrate more attention on adequately equipping polling locations, particularly having a sufficient number of quality poll workers to assist voters with check-in and the voting system. Where,when,andhowAmericanvoterscasttheirballotshasbecomehighly variable.Wedonotallvoteonthesameday,wevoteatahostofdifferentplaces, and we use a cornucopia of different types of voting equipment ranging from paper ballots to sophisticated electronic voting machines. Does this matter? In this article, we explore the different ways Americans exercise their right to vote and how these alternatives shape the voter’s experience. Our focus is on howthealternativewayswevoteeffectsatisfactionwithvotingtechnology,the places at which we vote, the number of races voters ballot in, voter confidence that their ballot will be counted accurately, and the time voters spend waiting to vote. Our study draws on data collected from exit polls with Election Day voters in the 2008 Colorado presidential election. 1 Colorado is unique among
Databáze: OpenAIRE
Nepřihlášeným uživatelům se plný text nezobrazuje