This article examines the impact of the 1993 National Voter Registration Act on turnout and the composition of state electorates in the 1996 elections. We address two questions regarding the effect of this new law: (a) Did the law increase overall turnout, and (b) did the law decrease the class and racial inequity in the U.S. electorate? Using turnout and exit poll data from the states, we find that the new law had no significant impact on overall state-level turnout, and it appeared to slightly increase the class and racial inequality in state electorates.
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