From Bullets to Ballots: How Homicides Affect Local Political Behavior in the United States 1980-2016

• In Event: Exploring the Long-term Relationships Between Homicide, Politics, and the Environment.

Abstract

Do incidents of lethal violence within American communities alter citizens’ voting preferences? Prior research on civic mobilization and the behavioral effects of lethal violence offer conflicting answers to this question. The current study uses long-term data to examine the influence of local homicide events on voter turnout rates and voter political preferences in U.S. presidential elections from 1980 to 2016. Findings from cross-sectional time-series analyses highlight the varied civic consequences of American homicide, the implications of which will be discussed.

Author

• Jonathan Reid, Texas A&M University