[EL] Legality of Voting Incentives

[Primo, David]

As I understand it, the goal is to teach students about public
goods/free rider problems.  Not sure this affects the ethics/legality,
though, since there are lots of other ways to accomplish this goal.

 

________________________________

From: Gaddie, Ronald K. [mailto:rkgaddie at ou.edu] 
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2012 12:05 PM
To: Primo, David; law-election at uci.edu
Subject: RE: Legality of Voting Incentives

 

Sounds unethical. The instructor is encouraging behaviors that s/he
personally values, and rewarding people on their evaluation in the
class.  Is voting part of the syllabus? Is it necessary to master the
material?  Why not reward them for going to a football game? Or
supporting certain charities? Or supporting your charity? 

I love voting. But this example bothers me because the faculty member
has departed from their charge and obligation.

 

Ronald Keith Gaddie, Ph.D.

Professor of Political Science

Editor, Social Science Quarterly

The University of Oklahoma
455 West Lindsey Street, Room 222
Norman, OK  73019-2001
Phone 405-325-4989
Fax 405-325-0718

E-mail: rkgaddie at ou.edu
http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/G/Ronald.K.Gaddie-1
http://socialsciencequarterly.org

________________________________

From: law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu
[law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu] on behalf of Primo,
David [david.primo at rochester.edu]
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2012 10:58 AM
To: law-election at uci.edu
Subject: [EL] Legality of Voting Incentives

A question for the list:  I recall in 2008 Starbucks and other companies
were smacked down when they attempted to give free products on Election
Day to anybody who said that they voted, as they seemed to be running
afoul of federal laws regarding incentives for voting in federal
elections.  

 

But what about this real-world scenario that a colleague at another
school relayed:  A faculty member has a policy of awarding an entire
class extra credit if more than half of the class votes.  Is this an
illegal inducement?  Does it matter that the reward is not tied to
individual behavior but rather to collective behavior, so that you can
get the extra credit even if you choose to free ride?

 

Dave

 

David M. Primo

Ani and Mark Gabrellian Professor

Associate Professor of Political Science and Business Administration

Director of Graduate Studies, Political Science

University of Rochester

Harkness Hall 318 (Political Science Dept.)

Rochester, NY 14627-0146

585.273.4779

Fax:  585.271.1616

david.primo at rochester.edu

http://www.rochester.edu/College/PSC/primo

 

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