Voter Registration Postcards to Unregistered Eligible Citizens
State election agencies (two states) · United States · 2019
Summary
State election agencies randomly selected eligible non-registrants to receive postcards explaining how to register. Treatment recipients registered at significantly higher rates and were more likely to vote in the subsequent election. The intervention is low-cost, politically neutral (targeting only eligible citizens), and highly scalable. The study demonstrates that unregistered voters are largely uninformed or inattentive, not uninterested.
Research question
"Can postcards sent to eligible but unregistered citizens increase registration and turnout?"
Methodology
Intervention
Postcards mailed to identified eligible non-registrants
Assignment
Randomized controlled trial (individual)
Sample size
~1.5 million eligible non-registrants across two states
Primary outcome
Voter registration rate; general election turnout
Effect estimate
+2.7 pp registration (treatment 9.6% vs. control 6.9%); statistically significant turnout increase
Decision
Postcard programs adopted by election agencies in multiple additional states
Result
Positive
+2.7 pp registration (treatment 9.6% vs. control 6.9%); statistically significant turnout increase
Evidence strength
Strong
Randomized trial, replicated across multiple sites or studies.
Replication status
Replicated
Institution
State election agencies (two states)
Location
United States
Year
2019
Policy area
Voter Engagement
Mechanism
Information