CrisseyandFileVotingBehaviorofNaturalizedCitizens:1996-2006SarahR.CrisseyThomFileU.S.CensusBureauHousingandHouseholdEconomicStatisticsDivisionPresentedattheAnnualMeetingofthePopulationAssociationofAmericaNewOrleans,LAApril16-19,2008ABSTRACTTheU.S.foreign-bornpopulationis36.5million,with14.4millionnaturalizedcitizens.Researchdocumentsthatnaturalizedcitizensarelesslikelytoregisterandvotethannativecitizens.SinceBassandCasper’s(2002)baselinenationalestimatesfromthe1996CurrentPopulationSurvey(CPS),5.7millionmorecitizenshavenaturalized.Givenpopulationchangesandtheincreasingpoliticaldebateoverimmigration,weexplorehownativityinfluencesvotingbehavioracrossadecadeofelections.UsingtheCPS,weaddresswhethernaturalizedcitizenscontinuetobelesslikelytoregisterandvote,andwhetherthenativitystatuseffectisconsistentacrosstimeandinbothpresidentialandcongressionalelections.Ourresultssuggestthat,netofsocialanddemographicfactors,naturalizedcitizensarelesslikelytoregisterandvotethannativecitizensacrossallyears.Wefindevidencethatthenativityassociationhasstayedatleastasstrongoverthecourseofthedecade.Furthermore,wefindthatnativityhasatleastasstrongofaneffectonvotingbehaviorincongressionalversuspresidentialelections.Thisreportisreleasedtoinforminterestedpartiesof(ongoing)researchandtoencouragediscussion(ofworkinprogress).Theviewsexpressedon(statistical,methodological,technical,oroperational)issuesarethoseoftheauthor(s)andnotnecessarilythoseoftheU.S.CensusBureau.INTRODUCTIONAccordingthe2006CurrentPopulationSurvey,approximately36.5millionforeign-bornpersonsliveintheUnitedStates,with14.4millionnaturalizedcitizens.Naturalizedcitizensage18andovercanparticipateinthepoliticalprocess,butresearchsuggeststhattheyarelesslikelytoregisterandvotethannativecitizens(BassandCasper,2002;CasperandBass,1998;Cassel,2002;DayandHolder,2004;DiSipio,Masouka,andStout,2006;Garcia,2003;File,2008;Holder,2006;Hero,1992;Jamieson,Shin,andDay,2002;ManzaandBrooks,1999).Explanationsforthenativityg