• Electoral reforms
• gender gap
• preregistration laws
• racial gap
• youth voter turnout

US young people have historically held the lowest turnout rate in US elections, becoming the least capable cohort to influence political results. To increase youth voter turnout, some US states enacted preregistration reforms to ease the double-step procedure typical of the US electoral system. While a beneficial effects of preregistration laws on youth turnout has been established, the differentiation of such effects with respect to the gender
and racial dimensions have not been investigated.
Using data from the Voting and Registration Supplement of Current Population Survey on registration and voting in biennal elections for the period 1980-2014, the thesis provides novel insight into the relationship between preregistration reform and youth political participation along the gender and racial dimensions.
Empirical estimates indicate that preregistration reform exerts heterogeneous effects on both registration and voting turnout, with a more pronounced effect on young men and minorities such as African American and Latino youth.

US young people have historically held the lowest turnout rate in US elections, becoming the least capable cohort to influence political results. To increase youth voter turnout, some US states enacted preregistration reforms to ease the double-step procedure typical of the US electoral system. While a beneficial effects of preregistration laws on youth turnout has been established, the differentiation of such effects with respect to the gender and racial dimensions have not been investigated. Using data from the Voting and Registration Supplement of Current Population Survey on registration and voting in biennal elections for the period 1980-2014, the thesis provides novel insight into the relationship between preregistration reform and youth political participation along the gender and racial dimensions. Empirical estimates indicate that preregistration reform exerts heterogeneous effects on both registration and voting turnout, with a more pronounced effect on young men and minorities such as African American and Latino youth.