American Politics Workshop with Seth Masket

DateMay 11, 2015

Time12:00pm

Location
4357 Bunche Hall

Contact
Contact Information
Belinda SunnuPhone bsunnu@polisci.ucla.edu

Presenter:Seth Masket, University of DenverTitle:“Do Voters and Activists Nominate the Same Sort of Candidates? A Look at Legislative Vacancy Appointments in Illinois and Colorado”Abstract: In Colorado and Illinois, local partisan vacancy committees are charged with appointing replacements for state legislators who have recently resigned or died. This presents researchers with a rare opportunity to determine whether those elected officials selected by party elites differ in important ways from those chosen by voters. This particular study examines whether vacancy appointees – with less experience, fewer established ties to voters and groups, and less time to raise funds than their traditionally nominated colleagues – suffer in terms of funds raised and votes won in the next election cycle. In fact, vacancy appointees end up with more funds and higher vote shares, on average, than those nominated through traditional means. However, this advantage does not appear to be tied to party donor networks. These findings are suggestive that party elites are able to pick highly skilled politicians who are talented at fundraising, wooing voters, and impressing interest groups.Paper:Click here to download.

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