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Presidential Primary Turnout 1972–2016

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 October 2016

Lonna Rae Atkeson  and
Cherie D. Maestas
Lonna Rae Atkeson
Affiliation:
University of New Mexico
Cherie D. Maestas
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina, Charlotte
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Abstract

We explore the implications of sequential presidential primary elections for turnout in selecting the presidential party nominees. Drawing from a micro-level theory of participation in sequential elections, we develop a set of aggregate-level hypotheses that tease out different ways that candidate mobilization efforts as well as the legal and institutional structures within a sequential contest influence turnout in presidential nomination contests. Using data from all state primary elections from 1972–2016, we find that electorates facing winnowed candidate pools, and those with contests after the effective endings to presidential contests have substantially reduced turnout that effectively disenfranchises voters in many states. Sequenced primary elections lead to lower overall turnout and less meaningful participation for many voters during presidential nominations contests.

Type
Articles
Information
PS: Political Science & Politics , Volume 49 , Special Issue 4: Elections in Focus , October 2016 , pp. 755 - 760
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 2016 

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