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DECLINE IN MUNICIPAL VOTER TURNOUT

Albert K. Karnig, Benjamin Walter

Open publisher page 67 citations

Abstract

Voter turnout has declined in elections at all levels of American government. Though much research has been devoted to understanding diminished turnout in national contests, there has been scant attention to factors affecting local electoral participation. In this study, we examine both cross-sectionally and longitudinally the impact on turnout of adopting a reformed plan of government and non-partisanship. Evidence from elections in the 1930s, 1960s, and 1970s suggests that council-manager government and nonpartisanship do, as hypothesized, impede municipal voter turnout.

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What this paper is about

Voter turnout has declined in elections at all levels of American government. Though much research has been devoted to understanding diminished turnout in national contests, there has been scant attention to factors affecting local electoral participation. In this study, we examine both cross-sectionally and longitudinally the impact on turnout of adopting a reformed plan of government and non-partisanship. Evidence from elections in the 1930s, 1960s, and 1970s suggests that council-manager government and nonpartisanship do, as hypothesized, impede municipal voter turnout.

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Available abstract

Voter turnout has declined in elections at all levels of American government. Though much research has been devoted to understanding diminished turnout in national contests, there has been scant attention to factors affecting local electoral participation. In this study, we examine both cross-sectionally and longitudinally the impact on turnout of adopting a reformed plan of government and non-partisanship. Evidence from elections in the 1930s, 1960s, and 1970s suggests that council-manager government and nonpartisanship do, as hypothesized, impede municipal voter turnout.

Key concepts: Turnout, Voter turnout, Political science, Government (linguistics), Public administration, Demographic economics, Politics, Voting

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