Collaborative Research: Electoral Systems, Suburbanization, and Representation

要解决选民对地方政府中选民代表性的担忧，一个传统的解决方案是废除由多名成员组成的大型选区，并创建规模较小、单一获胜者的选区，其中一些选区旨在涵盖少数族裔社区。虽然这种传统的补救办法在某些情况下可能会有所帮助，但在快速变化的大都市地区，它很有可能不会奏效。随着居民往返于市中心和郊区，这样的地区很常见。一些郊区已经变得异质，而另一些则变得同质。在这种情况下，由于候选人征聘的性质，创建较小/单一获胜者选区的传统补救办法可能会适得其反，并限制针对已确定的代表性问题的潜在补救办法的有效性。这项研究探讨了在持续的郊区化和士绅化背景下实现少数群体代表性的条件。这项研究还将通过一个用户友好的网络界面向研究人员和公众提供丰富的细粒度数据。该研究探讨了在持续的郊区化和士绅化背景下实现描述性和实质性代表性的条件，并特别注意用于地方治理的两种最重要的选举制度：多议席多数制和单一成员选区多数制。具体地说，该项目将包括一项大规模的数据收集工作，其中包括从1970年至今88个城市和22个学区的人口统计数据、候选人特征、体制结构和政策成果。该项目团队将对选民、民选官员和过去的候选人进行代表性调查。将对数据进行分析，以查明少数群体竞选地方职位并取得成功的条件，以及描述性代表产生实质性代表的条件。由于历史悠久的保护少数群体投票权和代表权的工具正在被法院宣布无效，这些数据将提供与全国许多城市地区相关的新改革努力的关键证据。这一裁决反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

One traditional solution to electoral concerns about constituent representation in local government is to abolish large multi-member districts and create smaller, single-winner electoral districts, some of which are designed to encompass minority neighborhoods. While this traditional remedy might help under some conditions, there is a strong possibility that it may not work as well in rapidly changing metro areas. Such areas are common, as residents migrate to and from city centers and suburban neighborhoods. Some suburban areas have become heterogeneous, while others have become homogeneous. In such contexts, because of the nature of candidate recruitment, the traditional remedy of creating smaller/single-winner districts could backfire and limit the effectiveness of potential remedy for identified representational concern. This study explores the conditions under which minority representation can be achieved in the context of ongoing suburbanization and gentrification. The study will also make a wealth of fine-grained data available to researchers and members of the public through a user-friendly web interface. The study explores the conditions under which descriptive and substantive representation can be achieved in the context of ongoing suburbanization and gentrification, paying special attention to two of the most important electoral systems used for local governance: multi-seat at-large and single-member district plurality. Specifically, the project will include a large-scale data collection effort combining population demographics, candidate characteristics, institutional structure, and policy outcomes for 88 municipalities and 22 school districts from 1970 to the present. The project team will conduct representative surveys of voters, elected officials, and past candidates. Data will be analyzed to identify the conditions under which minorities run for local office and are successful as well as the conditions under which descriptive representation leads to substantive representation. As time-honored tools for protecting minority voting rights and representation are being invalidated by courts, these data will provide crucial evidence regarding new reform efforts relevant to many urban areas around the country.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.