AMERICAN POLITICS QUARTERLY / JANUARY 2000Southwell, Burchett / ALL-MAIL ELECTIONS THE EFFECT OF ALL-MAIL ELECTIONS ON VOTER TURNOUT

Proponents of all-mail elections argue that this type of election facilitates participation such that elevated levels of turnout occur. The research tests this assumption by analyzing 48 statewide elections from the state of Oregon. This analysis suggests that the all-mail format is a major stimulus to voter participation, second only to the impact of a presidential contest. Previous research on the effect of systemic factors on voter turnout has distinguished between short-term influences (i.e., perceived closeness of the election) and long-term characteristics of the state or district (i.e., party competition). Legal requirements are usually in th