Does District Diversity Have an Impact on Political Ideology of a Legislator?
Start Date
2023 2:15 PM
Location
Alter Hall Poster Session 1 - 3rd floor
Abstract
Extensive research has been conducted to examine the relationship between district diversity and the political ideology of legislators. Previous research has generally focused on the relationship between members of Congress while few studies have investigated the relationship at the state level. In this study, we examine the relationship between district demographics and the ideologies of members in the Ohio State House elected in 2016. Our measures of ideology include legislators’ American Conservative Union scores and the Shor-McCarty ideological measure. The study controls for district-level characteristics such as median age, partisanship, and income within the districts, we examine the relationship of the representation to their districts. We hypothesize that the more diverse the district is, the more moderate the elected representatives will be.
Does District Diversity Have an Impact on Political Ideology of a Legislator?
Alter Hall Poster Session 1 - 3rd floor
Extensive research has been conducted to examine the relationship between district diversity and the political ideology of legislators. Previous research has generally focused on the relationship between members of Congress while few studies have investigated the relationship at the state level. In this study, we examine the relationship between district demographics and the ideologies of members in the Ohio State House elected in 2016. Our measures of ideology include legislators’ American Conservative Union scores and the Shor-McCarty ideological measure. The study controls for district-level characteristics such as median age, partisanship, and income within the districts, we examine the relationship of the representation to their districts. We hypothesize that the more diverse the district is, the more moderate the elected representatives will be.
