YALE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
WORKING PAPER NO. 16

HOW BLACK CANDIDATES AFFECT VOTER TURNOUT

Ebonya Washington

January 2006

Both Black and White voter turnout increases 2-3 percentage points with each Black Democrat on the ballot. Given the groups’ representations in the population, the White response is numerically greater. Whites of both parties are less likely to vote for their parties’ candidate when s/he is Black. The turnout findings are not explained away by voter, election, or politician characteristics. However the fact that there is no turnout response to Black Republicans suggests that a perception of Blacks’ ideology may be a factor.

Keywords: African Americans, Political economy, Voter turnout

JEL Classification: H0, J15, P48