Using a representative longitudinal survey of U.S. teenagers, we investigate how peer racial composition in high school affects individual turnout of young adults. We exploit across-cohort, within-school differences in peer racial composition. One within-school standard deviation increase in the racial diversity index leads to a 2.3 percent increase in the probability to be registered to vote seven years later and to a 2.6 percent higher probability to vote six years later. These effects are likely due to positive interracial contact when socialization has long-lasting effects: higher racial diversity in school is linked to more interracial friendships in school and later on.

通过对美国青少年的代表性纵向调查，我们调查了高中同龄人的种族构成如何影响年轻人的个人投票率。我们利用跨群体、校内同伴种族构成的差异。种族多样性指数在校内标准差的增加会导致七年后登记投票的概率增加 2.3%，六年后投票的概率增加 2.6%。这些影响可能是由于当社会化具有长期影响时积极的跨种族接触：学校中较高的种族多样性与学校及以后更多的跨种族友谊有关。