Voting in a pandemic: Explaining variation in support for absentee ballots for all

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 health pandemic has fundamentally changed all aspects of American life, including for many, how we vote. We explore the question of who supports unrestricted absentee ballots during a pandemic? We argue that women are more likely to support absentee ballots because it allows for greater flexibility and to minimize the potential for exposure. We test this theory using the National Panel Study of COVID-19 (n=1,892) which asked respondents about their preferences for absentee ballots, worry about the coronavirus, and their household composition. Using multinomial logistic regressions, we find women are more likely to support allowing absentee ballots relative to more restrictive voting options and are more likely to say they support absentee ballots for all if they know someone who has contracted COVID-19. The policy implications for these findings are discussed along with other socio-demographic indicators in our analysis. © 2020 Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.