The Politics of Ballot Design
How States Shape American Democracy

Physical features of ballots vary considerably across the US. This book shows how politicians use ballot design to influence voting.

Erik J. Engstrom (Author), Jason M. Roberts (Author)

9781108842808, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 17 December 2020

180 pages
23.5 x 16 x 1 cm, 0.39 kg

'Engstrom and Roberts vividly demonstrate how the design of voting ballots shapes both turnout and voter choice. Particularly compelling are two major contributions: the application of 'nudge' to the understanding of voters' decisions, and how political circumstances lead politicians to redesign ballots to achieve new political goals.' John Aldrich, Duke University

US federalism grants state legislators the authority to design many aspects of election administration, including ballot features that mediate how citizens understand and engage with the choices available to them when casting their votes. Seemingly innocuous features in the physical design of ballots, such as the option to cast a straight ticket with a single checkmark, can have significant aggregate effects. Drawing on theoretical insights from behavioral economics and extensive data on state ballot laws from 1888 to the present, as well as in-depth case studies, this book shows how strategic politicians use ballot design to influence voting and elections, drawing comparisons across different periods in American history with varying levels of partisanship and contention. Engstrom and Roberts demonstrate the sweeping impact of ballot design on voting, elections, and democratic representation.

1. Introduction
2. How the ballot 'Nudges' voters
3. Ballot architecture in the progressive era
4. The personal vote era, 1940–2000
5. Ballot architecture in the contemporary partisan era
6. Reconsidering the American ballot
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Political structures: democracy [JPHV], Political science & theory [JPA], Politics & government [JP]