In June 2024, Assistant Professor Charlie Hunt and co-author David Fontana published new research titled “Is Some Politics Still Local? Voter Preferences for Local Candidates.” The article examines voter preferences given rising trends in partisan polarization and the nationalization of elections. The findings show that despite these trends, voters are much more likely to cast their ballot for a candidate with local ties and strong connections in the communities they represent.
The research publication was recently quoted in an article from The New Yorker, “Tim Walz, J. D. Vance, and the Politics of Place,” which was written by Fontana. Listen to the article here.