Georgia Voter Suppression Efforts May Not Change Election Results Much
Originally Published as "Georgia Voter Suppression Efforts May Not Change Election Results Much," The Conversation, May 5, 2021.
There has been understandable outrage and widespread criticism of the new voting laws in Georgia – and of similar efforts in other states. These laws would likely make voting more difficult, including by reducing options for voting and making it harder to use an absentee ballot. My research indicates, however, that such measures may not change election results much, if at all.
Most U.S. voting districts at both the congressional and state legislative levels are safely controlled by one party or the other. Laws that slightly reduce the number of potential voters are unlikely to shift power in Congress and state legislatures significantly.