Absentee Ballot Regimes (conference paper) : Easing Costs or Adding a Step?

In this paper we discuss the changes in electoral laws since 1972, and the effect some of those laws have had on turnout. We pay particular attention to the variation in absentee voting laws, and in particular the method of requesting the absentee ballot, across the states. We document the large increase in the availability of no-fault absentee voting since 1990. And we note that it often comes with a large price: the need to request a ballot each year. However, we find, surprisingly, that states that allow for permanent absentee ballot status do not neccesarily achieve larger turnout than states which adopt no-fault absentee balloting but do not offer permanent absentee status.