Free and Fair? The Differential Experiences of Voting Barriers and Voting Policies in American Midterm Elections

Abstract

In this research note, we provide evidence about burdens people face when voting and who benefits from policies designed to mitigate those burdens. Using pre-and-post 2018 midterm elections panel surveys in Wisconsin, we show that Black voters estimate greater time getting to the polls and Hispanic voters report longer wait times once they are there. Regarding who takes advantage of policies purported to ease these burdens on voting - early voting, voting by mail, and absentee voting - our analysis reveals that that those facing temporal disadvantages are not the groups benefiting from these electoral policy affordances.