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Morality Politics, Direct Democracy, and Turnout

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2021

John A. Grummel
John A. Grummel*
Affiliation:
Upper Iowa University
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Abstract

During the 2004 and 2006 general elections, a number of states considered different moral policy ballot measures, including marriage definition, abortion bans, and stem cell research. Although more moral policy measures were voted on in the last two general elections, this is certainly not the first time that moral issues have been placed on the ballot. Some political pundits, during these elections, suggested that increased voter turnout in some states was due to these ballot measures. This research examines whether or not the presence of a moral policy measure on a given state's ballot generates higher voter turnout. I find that moral policy ballot measures generate higher turnout in midterm elections but not in presidential elections.

Type
Research Article
Information
State Politics & Policy Quarterly , Volume 8 , Issue 3 , Fall 2008 , pp. 282 - 292
Copyright
Copyright © 2008 by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

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