Late-Deciding Voters in U.S. Presidential Elections

What leads some voters to delay their voting decision until just before Election Day while others make up their mind well in advance? Focusing on American presidential elections this research note evaluates reasons why individuals might delay their voting decision. Using data from the ANES time series between 1948 and 2020, the paper finds that late-deciding voters tend to be younger, are ambivalent toward the major candidates, less likely to be partisans, and be less interested in the campaign than those who decide early in the campaign.