Fewer "costs", more votes? U.K. Innovations in Electoral Administration 2000-2007 and their effect on voter turnout

James, Toby S. (2011) Fewer "costs", more votes? U.K. Innovations in Electoral Administration 2000-2007 and their effect on voter turnout. Election Law Journal, 10 (1). pp. 37-52.

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Abstract

There is a rich political science literature on the relationship between election administration and voter turnout but it is largely based on studies of U.S. elections. Innovations with election administration by the United Kingdom’s New Labour government allow researchers to see whether U.S. findings travel. These short-term experiments and permanent reforms have been criticized for encouraging electoral fraud and undermining confidence in the democratic process (Wilks-Heeg, 2009); being led by motivations of party statecraft (James, 2010a); or being a false substitute for real democratic reform (Hay and Stoker, 2009: 226). There is much to these claims, and drawing lessons from the pilots is difficult because of poor experimental design. However, the innovations suggest that election administration can affect U.K. turnout. The effects of all-postal and individual registration appear to be particularly significant. Election administration is therefore an overlooked variable in non-U.S. literatures on electoral participation and is worthy of further investigation by researchers and policymakers.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > School of Politics, Philosophy, Language and Communication Studies (former - to 2024)
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Research Groups > Political, Social and International Studies Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Research Groups > Policy & Politics
Depositing User:	Katherine Humphries
Date Deposited:	17 Sep 2012 12:59
Last Modified:	28 Mar 2025 02:51
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/39564
DOI:	10.1089/elj.2009.0059

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