event Voter Turnout in Primary Elections Jun 6, 2014 About the Program With voter turnout on the decline in California’s primary elections, the state has pursued reforms aimed at expanding the electorate. What have we learned from the new top-two primary system and other efforts? PPIC research fellow Eric McGhee will provide an overview, and a panel of leaders will discuss how to motivate more Californians to exercise their right to vote. This project is supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.
event Civic Engagement and Voter Turnout Apr 15, 2015 About the Program Over the past 20 years, voter turnout in California has been slipping. The state is struggling with a gap between those who vote and the rest of the population. Join us as we focus on the reforms that are under way—and others California should consider—to reverse these troubling trends. The event will begin with a conversation between PPIC President Mark Baldassare and Secretary of State Alex Padilla, followed by a panel discussion with experts and elected leaders.
blog post Would Making Voting Easier Increase Turnout? By Dean Bonner Dec 17, 2015 A proposed election reform may encourage Californians who don’t always vote to cast their ballots more often.
blog post Commentary: Key Questions for November from the California Primary Vote By Mark Baldassare Apr 15, 2024 The vote count for the March 5 California primary has now been certified. We examine what these results, along with PPIC Statewide Survey findings, say about this fall's general election in our state.
Report What to Expect from California’s New Motor Voter Law By Eric McGhee, Mindy Romero Jun 15, 2016 In 2015, California passed major legislation to increase the state’s voter rolls by simplifying the voter registration process. Under the New Motor Voter Act, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will electronically transmit information about DMV customers who are eligible to vote to the California Secretary of State, which will add eligible customers to the voter rolls unless they opt out. We find that this law has the potential to significantly alter the demographic composition of the California electorate, making the population of registered voters more representative of the state as a whole. Our estimates also suggest that the new system may rapidly expand the voter rolls, adding more than 2 million new registrants in the first year. Key implementation issues will decide the impact of the New Motor Voter Act. To ensure the law’s success, the state should require DMV customers to attest to their eligibility to vote as a precondition for completing their transaction. It will also be necessary to mobilize new registrants aggressively if they are to become new voters.
Report Municipal Elections in California: Turnout, Timing, and Competition By Paul Lewis, Zoltan L. Hajnal, Hugh Louch Mar 1, 2002 Low voter turnout for municipal elections in California has raised concerns about declining civic participation and its potential consequences. This study documents voter turnout in California’s municipal elections and investigates the causes of turnout differences. To assess the political vibrancy of municipal elections, it also examines the degree of competition for and turnover in municipal offices. Using data from a questionnaire completed by 350 city clerks in California, the authors calculate that less than half of all registered voters living in cities cast ballots in the most recent municipal elections. However, they also note that overall turnout in city elections could be increased substantially by rescheduling more of them to coincide with state and national contests.
blog post Testimony: Four Important Questions about Voting in California By Eric McGhee Mar 30, 2015 Low voter registration is about more than administrative hurdles. Many of the people who do not register are expressing a deeper disengagement from politics and public life.
blog post A Move to Raise Turnout in LA By Eric McGhee Mar 10, 2015 Less than 9% of Los Angeles voters turned out in last week’s election, yet this select group did something on Election Day that all but guaranteed their membership will grow.
Report Implementing Automated Voter Registration in California By Eric McGhee, Radhika Mehlotra, Mindy Romero Mar 30, 2020 The California New Motor Voter Act (CNMV) has dramatically increased the number of voters registered through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Though it did not increase overall registration during in the 2018 election cycle, there are signs of a steady impact since then. It is not yet clear whether CNMV has improved registration among underrepresented groups.
