Youth Enfranchisement, Political Responsiveness, and Education Expenditure: Evidence from the U.S
71 Pages Posted: 26 Sep 2017 Last revised: 8 Apr 2019
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Youth Enfranchisement, Political Responsiveness and Education Expenditure: Evidence from the U.S.
Date Written: September 2017
Abstract
We examine the link between the political participation of the young and fiscal policies in the U.S. The focus is on preregistration laws, which allow the young to register before being eligible to vote. We document that preregistration promotes a de facto youth enfranchisement episode. Moreover, we establish that preregistration shifts state government spending toward higher education, the type of spending for which the young have the strongest preference. The increase in state financial support for higher education is confirmed at the higher education institution level. The results collectively suggest political responsiveness to the needs of the newly enfranchised constituency.
Keywords: Higher Education Expenditure, Political Responsiveness, Preregistration, Voter turnout, Youth Enfranchisement
JEL Classification: D72, H52, P16
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
IZA Institute of Labor Economics
Schaumburg-Lippe-Str. 7 / 9
Bonn, D-53072
Germany
Arcangelo Dimico
Queen's University Belfast - Queen's Management School ( email )
Riddel Hall
185 Stranmillis Road
Belfast, BT9 5EE
United Kingdom
Francesco Lancia
Ca' Foscari University of Venice ( email )
Cannaregio 873
Venice, 30121
Italy
HOME PAGE: http://https://www.unive.it/pag/28365/