American turnout patterns are analyzed through comparisons with
other countries and considerations of changes through time. The
paper examines the effect of the New Deal on turnout, and, using
Census data, considers how factors such as ethnicity and social
class have influenced voter mobilization and demobilization,
especially as the New Deal coalition has ebbed. It considers
whether recent trends indicate an emerging crisis in our
democracy. · US voter turnout patterns stand out by comparison
with other advanced societies. · The US locally centered system
of election administration makes voting very difficult by
international standards. · The New Deal mobilized millions of
new voters, but as the New Deal waned, voter turnout fell
sharply. · Big money and low turnout are a lethal combination
for a democracy. Read Working Paper 6: "Democracy in Peril"