Local Elections and Turnout The 2017 Philadelphia primaries are now mere months away. So far in this space, I’ve examined the role of randomized ballot position for the city as a whole and within wards. Today, let’s focus on election turnout. Increasing turnout A candidate’s total number of votes is the product of the total […]
Read MoreIn 2015, Philadelphia’s current Mayor and City Council were elected with a voter turnout of just 25.5 percent. In 2011, when there was an incumbent mayor on the ballot, turnout barely surpassed 20 percent. There is a general consensus that low voter turnout is unhealthy for cities and democratic representation, and Philadelphia is not alone […]
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