A Precinct Too Far: Turnout and Voting Costs
利用选区边界的地理不连续性，研究投票距离对投票率的影响，发现距离增加1个标准差（0.245英里）使投票率下降2%-5%，且非总统选举中少数族裔区域影响更大。
I study the effects of voting costs—specifically, distance to polling location—using geographic discontinuities. Opposite sides of boundaries between voting precincts are observationally identical, except for their assigned polling locations. This discontinuous assignment produces sharp changes in voters’ travel distance to cast their ballots. In nine municipalities in Massachusetts and Minnesota, a 1 standard deviation (0.245 mile) increase in distance reduces ballots cast by 2 to 5 percent across four elections. During non-presidential elections, effects are three times larger in high-minority areas than in low-minority areas. Finally, I simulate the impact of various counterfactual assignments of voters to polling places.