MCGINN, CHRISTOPHER, Ph.D. The Electoral Geography of Provisional Ballots in North Carolina by County: The 2008 U.S. Presidential Election (2012) Directed by Dr. Keith G. Debbage. 180 pp. The geography of provisional ballots is a realm of electoral geography that is increasingly important as a key component of shaping election outcomes, yet has been considerably under-researched. This purpose of this dissertation is to identify the geographic significance and the overall impact of the 52,000 provisional ballots cast during the 2008 Presidential election in North Carolina as well as conduct the first comprehensive analysis of the spatial distribution of provisional ballots in North Carolina in both absolute and relative terms during the 2008 Presidential Election. The first phase of the research conducted an inventory of the geography of absolute provisional ballots whereas the second phase of the research used stepwise multiple regression modeling to highlight the links that existed between three dependent variables; provisional ballots cast, ineligible provisional ballots and eligible provisional ballots and a number of independent predictor variables (e.g. race, age, education, etc.). The research found that counties with older, more educated, white populations with traditional political ideologies cast provisional ballots at a lower rate and have their provisional ballots deemed eligible at a lower rate than other counties. Finally, counties with larger minority populations, specifically Native Americans, and younger populations appear to cast provisional ballots and have those ballots counted at a higher rate than other counties less diverse older populations. THE ELECTORAL GEOGRAPHY OF PROVISIONAL BALLOTS IN NORTH CAROLINA BY COUNTY: THE 2008 U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION By Christopher McGinn A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of The Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Greensboro 2012 Approved by ______________________________ Committee Chair APPROVAL PAGE This dissertation has been approved by the following committee of the Faculty of The Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Committee Chair _________________________________________ Dr. Keith G. Debbage Committee Members _________________________________________ Dr. Zhi-Jun Liu __________________________________________ Dr. Corey Johnson __________________________________________ Dr. Charles Prysby ____________________________ Date of Acceptance by Committee ____________________________ Date of Final Oral Examination ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writing of this dissertation has been one of the most significant academic challenges I have ever had to face. A dissertation is not completed without the help of a strong supporting cast and without the patience and guidance of the following people this study would not have been completed. It is to them I owe my deepest gratitude. My first thanks must go to my advisor and committee chair, Dr. Keith Debbage, who undertook the commitment to serve as my chair despite his many other academic and professional obligations. His wisdom, knowledge and commitment to the highest standards inspired and motivated me. He patiently provided the vision, encouragement and advice necessary for me to make it through the doctoral program and complete my dissertation. Special thanks to my Dissertation Committee, Dr. Zhi-Jun Liu, Dr. Corey Johnson and Dr. Charles Prysby. Each individual provided insights that guided and challenged my thinking, substantially improving the finished product. Finally, these acknowledgments would not be complete without a special thanks to my family. Without their emotional and moral support it would have been extremely difficult to finish this work. I would like to thank my wife Erin, and our two kids Taylor and Tre for their love, support, encouragement and understanding. I would also like to thank my parents, for without their support I would not have been able to pursue higher education, let alone reach this point. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ vi LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................ viii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 1 II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .......................................................................5 2.1 Political Geography: The Theoretical Context and Introduction ...........5 2.2 Political Participation Rates and Why People Vote ..............................6 2.3 Electoral Geography ............................................................................11 2.3.1 The Electoral Geography of “Presidential Election Cycles” ...........................................21 2.4 Provisional Ballots – The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and Administrative Issues .................................................33 2.5 Provisional Ballots–More Detailed Empirical Research ....................43 2.6 Summary and Discussion. ....................................................................55 III. RESEARCH DESIGN .........................................................................................58 3.1 Introduction .........................................................................................58 3.2 Overall Research Hypotheses ..............................................................60 3.3 Data Definition.....................................................................................60 3.3.1 Population Measures .............................................................62 3.3.2 Socio-economic Characteristics ............................................63 3.3.3 Election Administrative Variables ........................................65 3.4 Data Limitations ...................................................................................67 IV. FINDINGS ...........................................................................................................69 4.1 Spatial Variation of Provisional Ballots in North Carolina by County ........................................................................................69 4.2 Spatial Distribution of Provisional Ballots per 1000 Total Ballots Cast ..............................................................82 4.2.1 Stepwise Regression Analysis ..............................................91 4.2.2 Regression Diagnostics .........................................................92 4.2.3 Outlier Diagnostics ...............................................................93 iv 4.2.4 Multicollinearity Diagnostics ................................................95 4.2.5 Normality of Residuals ........................................................96 4.2.6 Homogeneity of Variance (Homoscedasticity) .....................97 4.2.7 Regression Interpretation ..................................................... 98 4.2.8 Percent White Population ...................................................100 4.2.9 Percent Native American Population .................................108 4.2.10 Percent 45-64-Year-Old Age Cohort .....................................................................116 4.2.11 Percent of the Population with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher ........................................121 4.2.12 Percent 65 years old and Older Age Cohort .....................125 4.2.13 Excluded Variables .......................................................... 129 4.3 Provisional Ballots NOT COUNTED per 1000 Total Ballots Cast ............................................................131 4.3.1 Regression Diagnostics .......................................................138 4.3.2 Percent White Population ...................................................141 4.3.3 Percent 45-64 Years Old Age Cohort ................................ 142 4.3.4 Percent of the Population with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher .........................................143 4.3.5 Percent of the Population Registered as Unaffiliated .........144 4.4 Provisional Ballots COUNTED per 1000 Total Ballots Cast ............................................................149 4.4.1 Regression Diagnostics ...................................................... 153 4.4.2 Percent Native American Population ..................................156 4.4.3 Percent White Population ..................................................158 4.4.4 Percent 25-44 Years Old Age Cohort ................................159 4.5 Summary ...........................................................................................164 V. CONCLUSION .................................................................................................167 REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................175 v LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. List of Independent Variables for Stepwise Regression Analysis .......................61 Table 2. North Carolina Counties Ranked by Absolute Provisional Ballots Totals with Population and Voter Registration ...................................71 Table 3. North Carolina Counties Ranked by In-Migration and Out-Migration, 2008 ............................................................77 Table 4. Provisional Ballot Totals for Counties Ranked in the Top-Ten in Population and Voter Registration ................................................80