Does the Effect of Education on Voter Participation Vary by Race? An Inquiry into the Equality of Education and its Status as a Fundamental Right

Abstract

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected the argument that education is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution. Should this determination depend on whether an essential return to education - increased probability of participation in democracy by casting a vote is offered equally for members of different races? I have used National Election Studies data from 1948 to 2000 to test whether the effect of education on voter participation varies by race. Specifically, is the increased probability of voting caused by educational attainment higher for whites than it is for blacks? I held constant characteristics related to socioeconomic status, social connectedness, and trust in government and hypothesized that there will be a statistically significant difference in an interaction between race and education. I found that at certain levels of education the positive effect of education on voter participation is less for blacks than for whites at a statistically significant level.