What the study found
The study found that greater distance to a polling place is associated with lower in-person voting. It also found that, when mail-in voting is available, some voters switch to mail-in voting as distance increases.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors suggest that polling place location affects the costs of voting, meaning distance can shape how people participate. They also conclude that some precincts may have turnout gains available from choosing better polling place locations, including from existing buildings.
What the researchers tested
The researchers studied how distance to a person's polling place affects voting using a geographic regression discontinuity design, a method that compares people near geographic boundaries to estimate causal effects. They used data from Pennsylvania and Georgia and also ran counterfactual exercises to identify turnout-maximizing polling places.
What worked and what didn't
A one-mile increase in distance to the polling place reduced the likelihood of voting in person by 1 to 3 percentage points. The effects were two to three times larger among those closest to the polling place. When mail-in voting was available, voters were more likely to use it as distance increased.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe detailed limitations beyond the study's focus on Pennsylvania and Georgia. The counterfactual results are described as exercises, so the abstract does not provide full detail on how they were implemented.
Key points
- A one-mile increase in polling place distance lowered in-person voting by 1 to 3 percentage points.
- Effects were two to three times larger for people closest to the polling place.
- When mail-in voting was available, some voters substituted away from in-person voting as distance rose.
- The study used data from Pennsylvania and Georgia with a geographic regression discontinuity design.
- Counterfactual exercises identified polling places that could maximize turnout, including some existing buildings.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Longer distances to polling places reduce in-person voting
- Authors:
- Gaurav R Bagwe, Juan Margitic, Allison Stashko
- Institutions:
- Emory University
- Publication date:
- 2026-01-29
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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