The Franchise, Policing, and Race: Evidence from Arrests Data and the Voting Rights Act

This paper investigates the relationship between the franchise and policing. We find that, following the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Black arrest rates in counties that both had more newly enfranchised Blacks and were covered by the legislation fell, compared to similar Southern counties that were not covered. We document no corresponding patterns for White arrests. Our results are driven by arrests by sheriffs, who are always elected, and by less serious offenses. These results indicate that voting rights, when combined with electoral accountability, lead to improved treatment of minority groups by police. (JEL D72, J15, K16, K42, N32, N42)