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Racial or Spatial Voting? The Effects of Candidate Ethnicity and Ethnic Group Endorsements in Local Elections

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  • Cheryl Boudreau
  • Christopher S. Elmendorf
  • Scott A. MacKenzie

Abstract

With the growth of Latino and Asian American populations, candidates frequently must appeal to diverse electorates. Strategies for doing so include emphasizing candidates’ racial/ethnic identity and securing endorsements from racial/ethnic groups. While many scholars focus on candidates’ racial/ethnic attributes, ethnic group endorsements are understudied. Whether such endorsements induce voters to choose ideologically similar candidates (spatial voting), or choose based on race/ethnicity (racial voting) is unclear. We address this question by examining elections in multiethnic local settings. Using original surveys and exit polls, we create comparable measures of candidate and voter ideology, and examine how race/ethnicity and ideology affect voters’ choices. We also embed experiments that manipulate ethnic group endorsements. We find that ideology influences voters’ choices, but that ethnic group endorsements weaken spatial voting. The latter effect among whites is driven by racial/ethnic stereotypes. These reactions explain why some candidates seek such endorsements and why others might prefer to avoid them.

Suggested Citation

  • Cheryl Boudreau & Christopher S. Elmendorf & Scott A. MacKenzie, 2019. "Racial or Spatial Voting? The Effects of Candidate Ethnicity and Ethnic Group Endorsements in Local Elections," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 63(1), pages 5-20, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:amposc:v:63:y:2019:i:1:p:5-20
    DOI: 10.1111/ajps.12401
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Enelow,James M. & Hinich,Melvin J., 1984. "The Spatial Theory of Voting," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521275156, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gabriela Okundaye & John Ishiyama & Andrea Silva, 2022. "Premigratory political experiences with autocracy and violence and immigrants’ willingness to vote," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 103(5), pages 1032-1047, September.
    2. Podkolzina, Elena & Kuletskaya, Lada & Demidova, Olga, 2022. "Spatial modelling of voting preferences: The “Mystery” of the Republic of Tatarstan," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 67, pages 74-96.

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