As the 2024 election rapidly approaches, nine SSN members have published new briefs or revisited their past briefs to examine how their research applies to the current political landscape. Addressing topics like election rules, voter turnout, civic education, and the influence of endorsements, these briefs provide valuable insights into the forces shaping the upcoming election and how they may affect voter behavior.
SSN Briefs for the 2024 Election
SSN Members on the 2024 Election
The Impact of Endorsements in Racially Mixed Elections
By Andrea Benjamin
“To the extent that Blacks and Latinos want to elect mayors that look like them, elite endorsements from those groups provide a cheap — but very useful — signal that a minority candidate is in line with their interests.”
Encouraging Students to Vote Locally Builds Stronger Communities
By Benjamin T. Blankenship
“Encouraging college students to vote locally can help build emotional and social connections to their college communities, which can then lead to a greater likelihood of them staying in the area after graduation.”
Do Primary Elections Promote Extremism in U.S. Politics?
By Robert G. Boatright
“There is no reason to conclude that U.S. primary elections are driving ideological polarization or preventing compromise in Congress.”
Engaging Today’s Young People in the Electoral Process
By Monica Andrea Bustinza and Amanda D. Clark
“All in all, increasing youth voter participation in elections calls for a collective and comprehensive approach that addresses the barriers encountered by young people, builds civic power amongst young voters, and cultivates collaboration among stakeholders…”
We Can Double the Number of Americans Voting: Reschedule Elections to Make Local Politics More Representative
By Zoltan Hajnal
“Making sure that local elections happen at the same time as statewide and national contests is, in short, a straightforward, cost-saving reform that could go a long way toward making local governments more representative and responsive.”
State-Mandated Civics Test Policy Does Not Improve Youth Voter Turnout
By Jilli Jung and Maithreyi Gopalan
“Given these emerging insights into civic education, it may be time to shift the educational focus away from the mere memorization of facts and toward teaching and practicing practical civic skills.”
How to Help College Students Become Regular Voters
By Michael Peshkin
“With 20 million potential voters in college, raising their voting rate by 15 percent —as Northwestern has done —would produce three million more voters”