Current Research
The Political Representation of the Poor

How do electoral rules affect the poor? When do parties have an incentive to seek the support of the low-income citizens? These questions motivate a broadly comparative analysis of the relationship between antipoverty policy and electoral rules. Drawing on contemporary survey research and historical census data, this project ties the different components of political representation -- participation, partisan representation, and the policy-making process -- to the electoral incentives legislators and political parties. Specifically, the geographic distributions of low-income voters and legislative seats across electoral districts shape legislators' and parties' incentives to be responsive to low-income citizens. In this way, the institutions that provide the democratic legitimacy of our governments also undermine opportunities for democratic equality. This project establishes the foundation of a research agenda motivated by broader questions about whether and how the institutions of contemporary democracies create incentives to build societies that reflect democratic ideals.