Not a political scientist. However, this data seems consistent with the observation that the GOP base is older, wealthier and whiter than the Democratic one: those are all groups that are more likely to vote than younger, poorer and non-white. Also, voter suppression strategies in red states are designed to make it harder for people with fewer resources to vote, so this suggests to me that those measures are working as intended. Also notably some restrictions on voting by mail in particular got loosened in 2020 due to Covid, and that election went much better for Democrats than 2024 did.
You highlighted a key flaw in their analysis. If Republican-leaning voter blocs possess socioeconomic advantages that enable more consistent turnout rates, then is the problem really that Democrats mobilize less effectively than Republicans? On election day, the wealthy white Boomer retiree can stroll to the polls and cast their ballot, while the black single mom must work overtime at Walmart and can't afford to sacrifice an hour's wages to go vote. If the difference in voter outcomes is primarily caused by disparate socioeconomic realities, then "a persistent mobilization gap" isn't the real problem.
Not a political scientist. However, this data seems consistent with the observation that the GOP base is older, wealthier and whiter than the Democratic one: those are all groups that are more likely to vote than younger, poorer and non-white. Also, voter suppression strategies in red states are designed to make it harder for people with fewer resources to vote, so this suggests to me that those measures are working as intended. Also notably some restrictions on voting by mail in particular got loosened in 2020 due to Covid, and that election went much better for Democrats than 2024 did.
You highlighted a key flaw in their analysis. If Republican-leaning voter blocs possess socioeconomic advantages that enable more consistent turnout rates, then is the problem really that Democrats mobilize less effectively than Republicans? On election day, the wealthy white Boomer retiree can stroll to the polls and cast their ballot, while the black single mom must work overtime at Walmart and can't afford to sacrifice an hour's wages to go vote. If the difference in voter outcomes is primarily caused by disparate socioeconomic realities, then "a persistent mobilization gap" isn't the real problem.