Research

My research agenda is informed by my past professional experience working in policy arenas, and it is grounded in understanding the relationships between institutions and democratic participation in the United States. My current research projects fall along two primary tracks: (1) political parties and organizations, and (2) election administration, reforms, and policy. I also have a tertiary research agenda in LGBTQ+ identities and politics. My research has been supported by the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, the Hewlett Foundation, the New America Foundation, and the Rural Renewal Initiative program (Oklahoma State University).

Political Parties & Organizations

My current research on political parties examines local organizational structures, particularly those in rural areas. In a scholarly landscape that tends to look toward demographic and economic predictors for rural voting behavior, I offer an under-studied explanation that looks at the role of local party organizations in understanding shifting voting patterns, political participation, and electoral outcomes. I also study local organizations that emerge and operate within and outside of traditional party networks within their communities. I am currently in collaboration with Dr. Lara Putnam at the University of Pittsburgh on a project that studies these local organizations across urban, suburban, and rural geographies. Please contact me to get a copy of our recent paper on this topic.

Elections and Administration

My professional background has also motivated me to develop a parallel research track in elections policy and administration. I believe that more research is needed on the power of local decision-makers to influence how election laws are interpreted, understood, and implemented; I have developed my elections administration research program around these goals. I currently have a book under contract with Palgrave-Macmillan with expected publication in 2023; the working title of the book is Understanding the Gaps Between Election Officials and Legislators in Debates Around Electoral Integrity. I have also collaborated with several senior scholars in the field in this research arena, and a selected sample of these publications and projects is listed below.