Polling Location May Subconsciously Affect How You Vote

How Different Polling Locations Subconsciously Influence Voters

From churches to schools, the places where people cast their ballots can subliminally 'prime' the choices they make

Ben Pryor | February 29, 2016

During President Obama’s final State of the Union address, he called for reforms to the voting process, saying, “We’ve got to make it easier to vote, not harder. We need to modernize it for the way we live now.”The Conversation
Just ahead of Super Tuesday and in the midst of the presidential primaries—where we’ve already witnessed record turnout and long lines in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada—it’s a good time to reconsider the president’s appeal to modernize the voting process, and review an encouraging effort to do just this.
Many have questioned the burden and fairness of voter ID laws, particularly for minority voters. But even easing voter ID laws doesn’t eliminate the bias of the polling locations themselves. In fact, a score of recent studies highlight how the building where you vote—whether it’s a church or a school—can subconsciously influence which boxes you check on the ballot.

Source: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/voter-id-laws-virginia-voting-rights-advocates-scrambling/

<more at http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-different-polling-locations-subconsciously-influence-voters/?WT.mc_id=SA_MB_20160302; related links and articles: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/can-polling-location-influence-how-voters-vote (Can Polling Location Influence How Voters Vote? June 1, 2008) and http://www.psmag.com/politics-and-law/how-polling-places-can-affect-your-vote-20318 (How Polling Places Can Affect Your Vote. Researchers argue the physical location of the polls not only affects how many people vote; it may also influence last-minute decisions regarding which box to mark or lever to pull. August 19, 2010)>