Voting Machines and Voter Participation in Four Michigan Constitutional Revision Referenda Norman

HE ANALYSIS of voting and elections has undoubtedly become one of the ~ principal areas of investigation for political scientists, especially among those .M primarily concerned with American politics. Quite understandably, much of the research on the subject has tended to focus on individual voting behavior and its relationship to psychological and sociological variables.’ This research has provided important insights into one of the most fundamental phenomena of democratic politics and undoubtedly further contributions to our understanding of voter choice are forthcoming. There is, however, at least one aspect of American electoral behavior which has not been as thoroughly investigated. The effect of the mechanics of the ballot may not be as intellectually fascinating a topic as, say, the psychological determinants of voting choice, but it nevertheless can have an impact on election results.