Local Elections and the Politics of Small-Scale Democracy Format: Paperback

Zachary Callen, J. Eric Oliver, Shang E. Ha

ISBN 10: 0691143560 / ISBN 13: 9780691143569

Published by Princeton University Press, 2012

About this Item

Seller Inventory # 9780691143569

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Local Elections and the Politics of Small-Scale Democracy Format: Paperback
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Publication Date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0691143560
• ISBN 13: 9780691143569
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Local government is the hidden leviathan of American politics: it accounts for nearly a tenth of gross domestic product, it collects nearly as much in taxes as the federal government, and its decisions have an enormous impact on Americans' daily lives. Yet political scientists have few explanations for how people vote in local elections, particularly in the smaller cities, towns, and suburbs where most Americans live. Drawing on a wide variety of data sources and case studies, this book offers the first comprehensive analysis of electoral politics in America's municipalities.


Arguing that current explanations of voting behavior are ill suited for most local contests, Eric Oliver puts forward a new theory that highlights the crucial differences between local, state, and national democracies. Being small in size, limited in power, and largely unbiased in distributing their resources, local governments are "managerial democracies" with a distinct style of electoral politics. Instead of hinging on the partisanship, ideology, and group appeals that define national and state elections, local elections are based on the custodial performance of civic-oriented leaders and on their personal connections to voters with similarly deep community ties. Explaining not only the dynamics of local elections, Oliver's findings also upend many long-held assumptions about community power and local governance, including the importance of voter turnout and the possibilities for grassroots political change.

About the Author

.J. Eric Oliver is professor of political science at the University of Chicago. Shang E. Ha is assistant professor of political science at Brooklyn College. Zachary Callen is assistant professor of political science at Allegheny College