Tuesday's Gone: America's Early Voting Revolution

Election Day is no longer the same as over 60% of American voters cast early ballots in 2020, due to COVID-19. Elliott Fullmer explores the effects of this new reality in his book, "Tuesday's Gone," finding that early voting is bringing new citizens to the polls and enhancing the quality of American democracy. However, it also increases down-ballot roll-off, widens racial disparities in voting access, and alters the competitive environment in presidential nomination contests.

Format: Hardback
Length: 182 pages
Publication date: 12 October 2021
Publisher: Lexington Books

Election Day, as it was once known, is a thing of the past. In 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic raging, over 60% of American voters cast early ballots. Even before the pandemic, more than one-third of voters routinely did so. Early voting represents a radical change in American elections. It means new options for voters, a new set of procedures and responsibilities for election clerks, and new challenges for political candidates and operatives. In his book, "Tuesday's Gone," Elliott Fullmer explores the effects of this new reality. Applying new data and innovative methods, he reports that early voting is bringing new citizens to the polls and enhancing the quality of American democracy. Examining four recent elections, he finds that both early in-person and absentee options increase turnout by several points when aggressively implemented by state and local officials. Like any new public policy, however, early voting does come with some notable side effects. Fullmer cautions that early voting increases down-ballot roll-off, widens racial disparities in voting access, and alters the competitive environment in presidential nomination contests. He argues that these complications can (and should) be addressed so that early voting can fully deliver upon its promise.

Election Day, as it was once known, is a thing of the past. In 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic raging, over 60% of American voters cast early ballots. Even before the pandemic, more than one-third of voters routinely did so. Early voting represents a radical change in American elections. It means new options for voters, a new set of procedures and responsibilities for election clerks, and new challenges for political candidates and operatives. In his book, "Tuesday's Gone," Elliott Fullmer explores the effects of this new reality. Applying new data and innovative methods, he reports that early voting is bringing new citizens to the polls and enhancing the quality of American democracy. Examining four recent elections, he finds that both early in-person and absentee options increase turnout by several points when aggressively implemented by state and local officials. Like any new public policy, however, early voting does come with some notable side effects. Fullmer cautions that early voting increases down-ballot roll-off, widens racial disparities in voting access, and alters the competitive environment in presidential nomination contests. He argues that these complications can (and should) be addressed so that early voting can fully deliver upon its promise.

Weight: 494g
Dimension: 226 x 164 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793652065