Political polarization and negative campaign ads may have increased turnout in presidential elections

The 1964 election marked the beginning of a prolonged decline in presidential election turnout lasting through the 1990s. Recent analysis of American presidential election turnout from 1952 to 2020, however, reveals an increase previously expected by election scholars. In new research, Francine Romero and David Romero find that the downturn, while real, masked phenomena which were, in the background, pushing turnout upward. The phenomena, ironically, are those many see as harmful to American democracy: polarization, and, negative presidential campaign advertising.