Abstract
The rate of voting in cities of the U.S. tends to be lower than one would expect when compared to nationwide voter participation rates. The hypothesis in question here is whether high population density and urbanness have a dampening effect on the likelihood of voting by persons living under such conditions. This question is examined by relating county voting rates in recent U.S. Presidential elections to various types of county population density, while controlling for fifteen potentially contaminating variables. The hypothesis that population density reduces voter turnout cannot be rejected on the basis of the test. There is a small but significant negative relationship between the press of population — represented by the population per square mile and urbanness — and voter turnout, even when the various control variables are present. More immediate types of density, such as housing unit and room density, appear to be insignificant. Possible reasons for the results are discussed.
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Preuss, G.G. The effects of density and urban residence on voter turnout. Popul Environ 4, 246–265 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01375629
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01375629