Electoral Proximity and Legislative Responsiveness

• In Event: Strategic Choices in Changing Environments

Abstract

Do elections increase legislative responsiveness to their constituents? Previous studies that study the effect of electoral proximity have been unable to control for the roll-call agenda and differences in unobserved covariates between legislators. I utilize a natural experiment in four state legislatures - Arkansas, Illinois, Florida, and Texas - where term length was randomly assigned. In this design, I compare the responsiveness to constituency opinion of those that were randomly assigned to a two-year or four-year term on various issues, including the environment, crime, and the economy. In the Illinois State Senate, I also examine the effect of electoral proximity on legislative responsiveness on several roll-call votes, including the legalization of gay marriage and medical marijuana.

Author

• Michael Pomirchy, Princeton University