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Licensed Unlicensed Requires Authentication Published by De Gruyter February 24, 2016

Voter Turnout in Presidential Nominating Contests

  • Michael P. McDonald

    Michael P. McDonald is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Florida.

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    and Thessalia Merivaki

    Thessalia Merivaki is a PhD Candidate in Political Science at the University of Florida.

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From the journal The Forum

Abstract

Presidential elections are conducted in two stages. The November general election is proceeded by a series of contests where delegates are selected to national party conventions, which is where the parties select their candidates for the fall election. These nominating contests’ political environments vary: the rules regarding who can participate; the levels of electoral competition, which are related to when they are held; and that other offices present on the ballot, if any. We explore the effects of these conditions on voter participation in recent presidential contests and generally find turnout highest in competitive and inclusive contests where other offices are on the ballot. Examining the 2008 American National Election Panel Study, we find primary voters are more ideologically extreme than general election voters, but there is little difference between voters in closed and open primary states. We suggest primary type has little effect on the ideological composition of the electorate because modern nomination contests are low turnout elections that draw only the most politically interested.


Corresponding authors: Michael P. McDonald and Thessalia Merivaki, Department of Political Science, University of Florida, 234 Anderson Hall, P.O. Box 117325, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA, E-mail: (M.P. McDonald); (T. Merivaki)

About the authors

Michael P. McDonald

Michael P. McDonald is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Florida.

Thessalia Merivaki

Thessalia Merivaki is a PhD Candidate in Political Science at the University of Florida.

Published Online: 2016-2-24
Published in Print: 2015-12-1

©2015 by De Gruyter

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