Administrative Burden

How much does registration matter to turnout? One study that analyzed the historical introduction of registration requirements in New York and Ohio counties estimated a 3 to 4 percentage point long-term decline in participation. 19 Another approach is to compare turnout rates for states that allow voters to register on Election Day, versus those that do not, controlling for other factors. Such analyses generate a higher range of estimated effects, from 3 to 7 percentage points.