Telephone Town Halls as Discursive Representation

• In Event: Experimental Explorations of Voter Evaluations of Legislators

Abstract

Members of the U.S. Congress have a duty and an incentive to regularly meet with and discuss current issues with their constituents. One common method members use to connect with constituents is telephone town halls, which are phone-in venues for constituents and members to interact. Currently, members use telephone town halls without much regard to the means to organize the town halls, but much political communication research demonstrates that the organization of a discursive interaction powerfully shapes interpersonal interaction within groups. Our study will use a RCT design, in collaboration with members of the U.S. Congress, to investigate best practices for the design of the town hall to foster constructive conversations and interactions, which will contribute to the literature on legislative representation and political communication, and will inform the U.S. Congress on best practices for town halls. Participating members of Congress each will conduct two town halls, one using the normal methods that have little structure on the discussion, and one where the constituents are provided reading material and the discussion is hosted by the researcher. Constituents will be recruited through a Facebook ad targeted at constituents in the member’s district, and then among constituents who wish to participate will be randomized to participate in one or the other of the two town halls. Outcomes will be measured on a post-discussion survey and will measure posttreatment levels of self-efficiacy, satisfaction, and trust and approval of the member, among other outcomes.

Authors

• Kevin M. Esterling, University of California, Riverside

• William Minozzi, Ohio State University

• Michael Neblo, Ohio State University

• Ryan P. Kennedy, University of Houston

• David Lazer