Research Insights: Does Voting Eligibility Foster Interest in Electoral Issues and Candidates?

Age-based voting eligibility in Mexicos 2018 general election shows that the just-eligible score higher on several measures of low-cost political engagement compared to the just-ineligible. Exposure to information that the youth vote will be pivotal in the election increases eligible respondents interest in the presidential debate and in the election result. Information about current policy outcomes affects eligible voters future policy priorities in ways consistent with the incentives of eligible respondents to collect and process electorally relevant information on salient policy issues.