Black Turnout and Registration in Majority-Minority Districts

Abstract

Understanding what can incentivize the entire and minority populations to participate in politicsis important to understand voting patterns. To answer this question, this study focuses onwhether race has an impact on voter registration and turnout. This study sought to determinewhether moving from a majority-White to a majority-Black district will increase turnout andregistration among the general population as well as the Black population. Utilizing ten-yearlegislative reapportionment, this study compares the percent voter registration and percentturnout both before and after the 2012 round of redistricting in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana,Mississippi, and South Carolina. Results indicated that co-racial incumbents have the ability tomotivate increased voter registration among the total and Black population. Turnout results weremuch less straightforward, indicating that there are other factors that impact turnout than the raceof the incumbent. Thus, it appears the creation of majority-Black districts has a greater impactthan just the ability to elect more Black representatives.