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Gerrymandering and Polling Station Closure in Texas Primaries: Two-factor Voter Suppression?

DiBell, Alex K
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1620573023503617

Abstract Details

2021, Master of Arts, University of Toledo, Geography.
This study seeks to analyze the potential compounding effects of two voter suppression tactics, gerrymandering and the closing of polling locations, when both are used simultaneously in a given geographic space. Specifically, this study argues that gerrymandering and the closing of polling stations can be used as political weapons to suppress voting access. In addition, because both of these practices are spatial in nature, they can be used to impact certain voters clustered in a particular geographic spaces. As a case study to illustrate the geography of voter suppression tactics, this thesis looks at the 2020 primary elections in Texas, which were some of the most affected by the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19, “coronavirus”) pandemic. Because many polling stations were closed because of the pandemic and Texas has gerrymandered districts, it provides a window into the compounding effect on votes geographically and illustrates the two-factor obstacle of voter suppression. This study utilizes polling location data for two elections in Texas, the March primary and its July runoff election, in four particular districts in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan area. The analysis includes spatial assessment of whether or not polling stations closed between the two elections and whether or not these closures were more to close in gerrymandered districts. The results show that polling stations were closed at high rates across all four focus area districts, but most closures occurred in the district least gerrymandered of the four. Polling stations closures may have impacted at least one of the primary elections during the 2020 election cycle.
Beth Schlemper (Committee Chair)
Dan Hammel (Committee Member)
Sujata Shetty (Committee Member)
71 p.
Geography
gerrymander; gerrymandering; election; polling station; polling location; polling station closure; House of Representatives; Congressional district; Texas representatives; GIS; spatial; voting; voting suppression; voter suppression

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • DiBell, A. K. (2021). Gerrymandering and Polling Station Closure in Texas Primaries: Two-factor Voter Suppression? [Master's thesis, University of Toledo]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1620573023503617

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • DiBell, Alex. Gerrymandering and Polling Station Closure in Texas Primaries: Two-factor Voter Suppression? 2021. University of Toledo, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1620573023503617.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • DiBell, Alex. "Gerrymandering and Polling Station Closure in Texas Primaries: Two-factor Voter Suppression?" Master's thesis, University of Toledo, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1620573023503617

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

toledo1620573023503617
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© 2021, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Toledo and OhioLINK.