Abstract

This thesis aims to answer the question of whether a loss of political and social efficacy mediates the relationship between an increase in voter restrictions and a loss in voter turnout within the Latinx community, a minority group with very low voter turnout. Prior literature discusses that an increase in voter restrictions causes lower Latinx voter turnout, as well as that a loss of social and political efficacy lowers Latinx voter turnout. No prior literature, however, has attempted to research the link between these notions. Combining the Collective Multiracial Post-Election Survey with the Cost of Voting Index results show that voter restrictions do lower Latinx voter turnout, as in line with prior literature. Social and political efficacy, however, do not mediate voter restrictions and Latinx voter turnout. The insignificance of social and political efficacy acting as a mediator may be due to the Collective Multiracial Post-Election Survey being a nationally representative survey rather that State representative. This may have resulted in more respondents recording their state of residence as being a state with fewer voter restrictions, which could have lowered the respondents’ scores of social and political efficacy overall.

Advisor

Coll, Joseph

Department

Political Science

Disciplines

American Politics

Keywords

Latinx, Voter Turnout, Political Efficacy, Voter Restrictions

Publication Date

2024

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

Download

Share

COinS
 

© Copyright 2024 Madison Delaney Mycoff