U.S. State Variation in Public Perceptions of the Quality of American Democracy

• In Event: Political Attitudes, Voters, and Voting in the States

Abstract

Theories of democratic backsliding and erosion within Comparative Politics are increasingly applicable to the United States. According to national surveys, many Americans are increasingly expressing concern about the direction and quality of democracy in the U.S. Likewise, as states chart their own course for election administration, the quality of election performance and the quality of democracy varies significantly from state to state. How does this state variation manifest itself in public perceptions of the quality of democracy at the state level? Using an original survey, we examine the relationship between objective measures of the quality of democratic performance and citizenship at the state level with subjective evaluations of how citizens feel their state is performing.

Authors

• Patrick Flavin, Baylor University

• Gregory D. Shufeldt, University of Indianapolis