American Politics Commons^™

Does Feeling Threatened By Cultural And Demographic Changes Make People More Likely To Support Authoritarian Leaders In The United States?, Jack Brett Krikorian

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Does the perception of threat from cultural and demographic transformations increase a tendency to support authoritarian and nationalist views in politics in the United States? While current research indicates that demographic anxiety, rather than economic distress, has fueled support for authoritarian political figures in recent elections, there has been insufficient focus on whether such threat perceptions directly forecast support for authoritarian governance more generally. I argue that individuals who recognize heightened cultural and demographic threats are more inclined to support robust, authoritarian leadership, as perceived threats amplify the psychological necessity for security and order over democratic limitations. I utilize the …

From Disaster To Decision: Spatial And Temporal Patterns In Disaster-Affected Voting, Jake L. Shaw

Dissertations

This dissertation examines how natural disasters shape electoral behavior in gubernatorial and presidential elections in the United States, with particular attention to geographic proximity, disaster severity, and partisan accountability. Using county-level gubernatorial and presidential election returns from 2016 to 2022, it analyzes the electoral effects of hurricanes, wildfires, and tornadoes through three frameworks: direct disaster impact, near-distance exposure, and disaster severity. Employing the difference-in-differences and fixed effects models across more than 31,000 county-year observations, the study finds that natural disasters can significantly reduce incumbent party vote share and voter turnout, particularly in gubernational elections. Results further demonstrate that electoral effects …

Guidelines For Enhancing Voter Accessibility, Anna Barrows

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Political Elections In The New Wave Of Media: The Celebrification Of The Presidency, Camille B. Moore

Anthós

This article examines the impact of social media on journalism leading up to the 2024 United States presidential election and how expectations of candidates have changed. By exploring the degradation of discourse in news and how polarization and cognitive biases have intensified with the widespread adoption of social media, previous candidate conventions have begun to crumble. This has, and will continue to have, a large impact on voting and democracy in America, as scholars have noted since the beginning of the 2000’s, in examining a shift in news preferences as pop culture gains influence. This work further examines recent scholarship …

Constructing Descriptive Representation: A Study Of Contemporary Political Figures In The United States, Emma Zalewski

Honors Theses

Political representation in the United States depends not only on who the officeholders are, but on how they publicly perform identities such as gender, race, class, religion, and profession in ways that shape trust and legitimacy. Existing work on descriptive representation and performativity explains why shared identities matter, but it often treats identity too much like a fixed demographic category rather than a strategic and audience-sensitive rhetorical practice, leaving the question of how politicians actually deploy identity across different political settings unexplored. This project addresses that gap by showing that identity claims are best understood as deliberate performances that vary …

Artificial Elections: How Artificial Intelligence Can Affect Elections And Decide Our Future, Ryan D. Granger

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis examines the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in democratic elections, highlighting both its transformative potential and its associated risks. Drawing on a qualitative analysis of existing literature, the study explores how AI is increasingly integrated into political campaigns, election administration, and voter engagement. Key benefits include enhanced data analysis, personalized political messaging, and improved efficiency in campaign operations. AI also supports real-time fact-checking and more accurate vote tabulation, which can strengthen transparency and trust in electoral processes. However, the thesis emphasizes that these advantages are accompanied by significant challenges. AI technologies enable the rapid creation and dissemination …

America’S Recount Addiction, Derek T. Muller

Book Chapters

Election recounts are costly and rarely change the results. By narrowing recount laws and relying on more precise safeguards, states can cut costs, deliver final results more swiftly, and reinforce public confidence in elections.

Imprint: NYU Global Access Publications, 2026, Open Access Since 2026.

Conditioning Elections: The Instability With Dynamic Voters, Lorenzo Collier

Political Science Student Papers and Posters

The stability of electoral outcomes is a cornerstone of democratic legitimacy, yet real-world elections increasingly exhibit volatility driven by dynamic voter populations and shifting preferences. By treating elections as a function f(x) where x represents voter choice, we can study the conditioning of election outcome functions under perturbations, analogous to sensitivity analysis of numerical solvers. This paper investigates the mechanisms underlying instability in elections when voters and their beliefs evolve over time, focusing on the effects of conditioning decisions on anticipated future changes. By surveying classical and contemporary models of voting rules under dynamic settings, this paper demonstrates how seemingly …

Latino Voter Registration And Participation Rates In The 2016, 2020, And 2024 Presidential Elections, Laird W. Bergad

Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies

Abstract

This report examines Latino voter participation in U.S. presidential elections from 2016 to 2024, highlighting significant increases in registration and turnout between 2016 and 2020, followed by declines in 2024.

Methods

The study is a descriptive and comparative analysis using data from the Voting and Registration Tables issued by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Discussion

In 2020, Latino voter registration and turnout reached historic highs but these gains plateaued in 2024 despite continued population growth.

Persistent disparities in Latino voter participation remained across age groups and sex. Additionally, Latino participation rates in 2024 remained lower than that of non-Hispanic white, …

Restoring Confidence In Our Elections: An Analysis Of Post-Election Audits In South Dakota, Evan Sippel

Honors Thesis

Post-election audits have been a standard practice for election officials across much of the United States since the 2000 presidential election. However, there were still six states that had never performed a post-election audit as the nation prepared for the 2020 presidential election. Due to the controversies of the 2020 presidential election and the resulting decrease in voter confidence, particularly among Republican voters, there was a concerted effort in the few remaining states to pass legislation that would require election officials to conduct post-election audits. In response to this pressure, South Dakota passed a law to require that election officials …

The Mechanism Of Election Denial: How Ideological Extremism Leads To Anti-Support For The United States Government, Emily C. Reeks

Honors Theses

The violent events of January 6, 2021 explicitly demonstrated the widening ideological gap in the United States, as citizens and members of Congress both questioned the results of the 2020 election. This research paper seeks to understand if this increasing ideological extremity might manifest itself as questioning the legitimacy of an election among members of Congress. Researchers across decades have studied the sort of effects that increasing ideological extremity can have on voters; however, I could not find much research on how it might affect members of Congress. I theorize that ideological extremity amongst members of Congress is causing them …

Comparative Trends In Campaign Finance For United States Senate Elections After Citizens United, Jackson P. Terrell

Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

While experts and laymen alike have agreed that United States politics have become more polarized over the last few decades, there are few answers about what has driven that polarization, as well as how that polarization has affected the campaign system. In addition, changes to campaign finance as a result of Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission, 558 US 310 (2010) altered the ways that money could be raised and spent to support or oppose candidates. The effects of these changes in presidential election campaigns have been well documented. This research will investigate changing trends in campaign finance in United …

When Choice Disappears: Voter Cynicism In The Absence Of Competition, Benjamin J. Kaden

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the democratic consequences of uncontested state legislature elections in the United States, focusing on how the absence of electoral competition influences both voter engagement and political attitudes. While state legislatures wield significant influence over public policy and resource allocation, an increasing number of these elections proceed without meaningful opposition. Drawing on an original survey of 2,775 respondents, this study tests two core hypotheses: first, that uncontested state legislature elections lead to decreased voter engagement, as reflected in voter attitude towards election participation and candidate qualities; and second, that uncontested state legislature elections increase negative attitudes towards government …

Manifesting A Shift In The "Overton Window": The Threat Of Project 2025 On The Lgbtq+ Community In Higher Education, Athena M. King, Sara Sanatkar

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

Since the first Trump administration, historically marginalized groups in the United States have been subjected to greater instances of bigotry and discrimination due to conservative influence on sociopolitical institutions. These actions suggest a shift in the "Overton Window," whereby policy preferences previously deemed "unacceptable" are given consideration in the mainstream, especially by conservative policy actors. "Project 2025" is a comprehensive plan to restructure the federal government according to conservative dictates in the second Trump administration. This article is an examination of how higher education may be impacted by this plan, especially as it relates to LGBTQ+ faculty, administration, staff, and …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 100, No. 1, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Magazine edition of the College Heights Herald for the period October 9 - November 11, 2024.

• Wilborn, Price. Letter from the Editor – Elections
• Ivory, Larkin, Cameron Shaw, Libby Simpson & Abigail Vickers. How WKU Students Are Approaching the Ballot Box
• Todd Alcott Shares Vision for Bowling Green

• Freidhof, Natalie. A College Student’s Guide to the Swing States
• Reed-Whalen, Bradlee. What Is Amendment 22? – School Funding
• Di Palermo, Dominic. More to Accomplish – Todd Alcott, Bowling Green Mayor
• Todd Alcott for Mayor In His Own Words
• Patti Minter for Mayor In Her Own Words
• Randolph, Eli. A Day in …

Who Pays The Price For The Cost Of Voting: The Impact Of Voting Policies On Presidential Election Turnout, 1996-2016, Amelia S. Minkin

eJournal of Public Affairs

The gap between the percentage of registered White voters who cast a ballot and that of registered nonwhite voters in the 2020 United States Presidential election was approximately 13 percent. This trend varies widely across the United States due to state legislators having jurisdiction to craft, enact, and implement election and voting legislation. In 2022, 408 pieces of legislation that would have made it more difficult to register to vote, cast a ballot, or stay on the voter rolls were considered in 39 states and 11 made it into state codes across the country. Given the increase in legislation considered …

Felony Disenfranchisement And Voter Turnout: Randomized Trials In Iowa And Washington, Alexander Billy, J.J. Naddeo, Neel U. Sukhatme

Northwestern University Law Review

Prior to the 2022 midterm elections, we conducted large-scale randomized controlled trials in Iowa and Washington aimed at increasing voter turnout among newly enfranchised individuals with past felony convictions. Alongside national and grassroots partners, we designed and implemented experiments to ascertain the effectiveness of alternative outreach mechanisms, including targeted mailers and digital ads. We did not detect statistically significant or economically meaningful effects on voter registration or turnout; most observed effects were precise nulls. The absence of measured impact is likely attributed to low digital engagement with our online ads as well as extensive voter outreach already conducted by our …

Political Indifference And The Withering Of Democracy In Alabama, Noe Alexander Aguado

Politics, Justice, Law, and Philosophy

Alabama’s 1901 Constitution was drafted to codify white supremacy by removing African Americans from the voter rolls. Alabama did not invent voter suppression, nor does it have a monopoly on policies that deny African Americans, minorities, and poor people the right to vote. This chapter provides examples of how and to what effect disenfranchisement has been used in Alabama and other communities throughout the United States. This chapter also chronicles Alabama’s unique constitutional feature that centralizes policymaking in the capitol – further suppressing democracy at the local level to the advantage of affluent interest groups entrenched in Montgomery. Consolidating policymaking …

The Effects Of Empathic Reactions To The Overturning Of Roe V. Wade On Campaign Participation And Voter Turnout: Evidence From The 2022 U.S. Midterm Elections, Cigdem Sirin, José Villalobos

Selected Works Temporary Series

In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling overturned Roe v. Wade, reversing the nearly 50-year-old landmark decision that affirmed a woman’s constitutional right to abortion. Several months later, voters turned out in record numbers for the 2022 midterms, though a widely predicted “Red Wave” vote did not materialize. There has since been speculation that overturning Roe v. Wade played a crucial role in the midterms, generating a “Blue Tsunami” or “Roevember” driven largely by young, pro-choice women voting out of self-interest. We posit instead that group empathy was the key motivational mechanism in the link between opposition to …

The Effects Of Empathic Reactions To The Overturning Of Roe V. Wade On Campaign Participation And Voter Turnout: Evidence From The 2022 U.S. Midterm Elections, Cigdem Sirin, José Villalobos

Departmental Papers (PS)

In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling overturned Roe v. Wade, reversing the nearly 50-year-old landmark decision that affirmed a woman’s constitutional right to abortion. Several months later, voters turned out in record numbers for the 2022 midterms, though a widely predicted “Red Wave” vote did not materialize. There has since been speculation that overturning Roe v. Wade played a crucial role in the midterms, generating a “Blue Tsunami” or “Roevember” driven largely by young, pro-choice women voting out of self-interest. We posit instead that group empathy was the key motivational mechanism in the link between opposition …

I'Ve Registered To Vote... Now What?, Gabriel Giberson, Jasmine Cintron Soto, Lauren Shelton, Hayley Piazza

Student Zines

This zine was created by students from the Center for Community Action and Research to support voter outreach during the 2024 presidential election.

No Excuses: The Effect Of Absentee Voting System On Voter Turnout, Tigerlily Harrington, April Johnson

The Kennesaw Journal of Undergraduate Research

The COVID-19 Pandemic caused a significant change in the way people voted 2020. Many Americans chose to absentee vote out of safety concerns. However, this process was not the same experience for all voters because some states require an excuse to absentee vote while others do not. This study analyzes whether there is a difference in voter turnout between states with no-excuse absentee voting and those without it. While reviewing voter turnout data for the 2016 and 2020 General Elections, this research finds evidence that turnout was higher in states with no-excuse absentee systems than those that require an excuse. …

When Ballots Are Blank: Write-In’S Serving Local Government And The Implications For A Healthy And Vibrant Democracy, Thomas J. Ruter

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

Our democracy depends on having a supply of candidates running for elected office, but in some instances, no one wants to run. This phenomenological study asks what the effects on a healthy and vibrant democracy are if ballots are blank and the seat is filled through write-in or appointment. Rooted in democratic theory, this study explores small, rural city elections where write-ins won election. Understudied, local governments are responsible for decisions affecting the lives of millions of people each day. Workforce scarcity, the alienation of young Americans from politics, government bashing, nasty campaigns, threats of physical harm, and other barriers …

Incivility In 2022 Senatorial Elections, Mark Meyer

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This honors capstone project will examine the effect of social media, specifically Twitter, on U.S. senate elections in 2022. It will track the tweets of personal and official campaign Twitter accounts from the end of the primary until election night in two “Toss Up” or highly contested seats in the 2022 senate elections. This project will examine the winner of the Republican and Democrat primaries only. All the tweets from the timeframe will be tracked and categorized by intention or use of the tweet. These categories will break down the tweet into what it was meant to do be it …

The Political Divergence Of Ohio And Michigan, Dominic D. Wells, David J. Jackson

The Journal of Economics and Politics

Ohio and Michigan are demographically similar states whose politics have diverged since 2016. This research aims to explain why these two Midwestern states have taken such different political paths in recent years. A comparative case study is used to examine a number of possible explanations. The results of this research show that institutional factors such as registration and voting laws, redistricting processes, and ballot measures have contributed to the political divergence of Ohio and Michigan. Further, data on policy preferences are compared to show that the differences between the states are not the result of different policy preferences among their …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald: Your Vote Matters, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Magazine edition of the College Heights Herald for the period October 4 - November 6, 2023.

• Anderson, Alexandria. Letter from the Editor – Elections
• Reed, Bailey. Every Vote in This County is Important – Daniel Cameron, Andy Beshear
• Phelps, Maggie. The Importance of Voter Registration
• Daniel Cameron on the Issues
• Andy Beshear on the Issues
• Di Palermo, Dominic. The Bowling Green Rock Band Academy – Musicians
• Costellow, Ali. Students & Campus Organizations Prepare for November Election
• Wilborn, Price. Wokeness Is Not a Bad Thing, and People Need to Stop Saying It Is
• Edmonds, Luke. A Kentuckian’s Guide to Legal Sports …

Latino Voter Participation In The 2018 And 2022 Midterm Elections, Laird W. Bergad

Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies

Introduction

This study analyzes Latino voting participation, comparing the US midterm elections of the years 2018 and 2022.

Method

The study is a descriptive and comparative analysis using data from the 2022 Voting and Registration Data from the US Census Bureau.

Discussion

The study found that nationally, only 37.9% of eligible Latino voters took part in the 2022 midterms, compared to 40.4% in the 2018 midterms. Despite this decline in the percentage of registered voters casting ballots in 2022, the percentage of Latinos registered to vote rose from 53.7% in 2018 to 57.8% in 2022.

The Questionable Death Of Jim Crow: How Systemic Racism Impacts Voting Accessibility By Ways Of Wait Times, Icarus Laduke-Lott

Political Science Theses and Capstones

Racial identity and perception thereof are consistent themes throughout the history of the United States. Countless studies have attempted to measure the impact of this factor on everyday life, with present research finding the lives of non-white individuals to be needlessly burdened due to systemic and individual prejudice. But how does this extend to the realm of political accessibility? And if the impact is great, can we truly claim that the era of Jim Crow is over? To address this question, I utilized the data collected by the Cooperative Election Study in 2020, working to emphasize the impact of systemic …

Ideology And The Incumbency Advantage, Gabe Degraeve

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Incumbents win reelection at a staggering rate (upwards of 75%) the causes of this are well understood and examined. The numerous material benefits (access to a larger staff, fundraising ability, name recognition, etc.) paired with the psychological benefits (scare-off effect, lack of high-quality candidate, etc.) make it very hard for a potential challenger to win in an election against an incumbent. There however has been a decrease in the incumbency advantage over the past several election cycles. Since both the material and psychological benefits are still present, another factor is likely contributing to this decrease. Ideology has become …

Does Money Matter In House Elections?, Jake Matise

Political Science Theses and Capstones

Although campaign spending has always been prevalent in American political society, the aftermath of decisions like Citizens United has led to higher amounts of election spending than ever before. But does spending have an observable effect on the outcome of elections? This paper evaluates the effect of campaign spending on winning an election using data from the 2020 House election cycle. The data I used consists of every House election from 2020, with seats ranked on a competitiveness scale from “safe Republican/Democrat” to “toss-up” (as categorized by 270ToWin), as well as recording incumbent or challenger victories, and the amount of …