Local politics and local elections in the United States
Sarah Anzia, Professor
Public Policy
Closed. This professor is continuing with Fall 2024 apprentices on this project; no new apprentices needed for Spring 2025.
This project examines the role of businesses and business associations in local politics and local government in the United States. The project has two parts. One is a qualitative data collection focused on the local policy priorities and goals of chambers of commerce in cities and counties across the country. The second is the collection of data on campaign contributions in California local ballot measure elections, with a particular focus on ballot measures that would increase different kinds of local taxes.
Role: The students working on this project will collect qualitative data from chamber of commerce websites; will acquire campaign finance records from California cities (sometimes requiring public records requests); will hand-enter the relevant data; and will code the type of group making each contribution.
Students will be required to meet with Sarah Anzia every 1-2 weeks.
The students will learn about the particulars of local elections and local politics in California, the various interest groups engaged in city politics across the United States, and the dynamics of local tax ballot measures.
Qualifications: Must be interested in American politics, public policy, and specifically local politics and policy (e.g., municipal governments) with a demonstrated capacity for conducting independent research.
Hours: 6-8 hrs
Off-Campus Research Site: Students will meet on-campus for meetings every 1-2 weeks but are otherwise free to work remotely.
Related website: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/directories/faculty/sarah-anzia
Social Sciences