"I specialize in Political Behavior, Political Participation, Race/Ethnicity and Politics, and Political Geography in the United States.  Specifically, I am interested in how the characteristics of one’s environment affects her political behavior. I use a mix of methodological approaches in my research, including:  field experimentation, survey analysis, geographic information systems, and qualitative data collection. "

“The Proper Use of Space: How Gentrifiers Change the Way Neighborhoods Get Used”


This project will examine how the design features (i.e. presence of gridded streets, sidewalks, treelined streets, porches, green space, etc.) of neighborhoods evolve in places that experience gentrification. In addition, how these changes affect the social and political behavior of both the “old-timers” (residents who lived there before gentrification) versus “newcomers” (residents who arrived during gentrification).


Respondents of the 2020 CMPS Survey were geocoded and placed into Census Tracts and the 2020 Census tract data was merged to the  survey. The Census Data was used to identify which respondents lived in neighborhoods that experienced gentrification in the last ten years. In addition to merging in the Census tract data, I added measurements of each respondent’s neighborhood design. With the help of summer research assistants we developed a strategy for coding neighborhood design features both before and after gentrification using Google Street View to code the presence/absence of architectural features that scholars have argued help improve civic, social, economic, and physical well-being.  This data collection is ongoing.

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“Characteristics of Place”

This dataset was compiled by the geocoding of the Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey, a nationally representative survey.  The geocoded data was then spatially merged with Census Tract data.  Finally, the physical/architectural features of respondents’ neighborhoods were then coded using Google Maps Images.  The goal of this study was to see how the physical/architectural features of one’s neighborhood affected her interaction with her  neighbors and subsequent political participation.




 “Maine Poll Worker Recruitment and Attitudes”

Co-PI's: Rob Glover (University of Maine, Orono) and Jordan LaBouff (University of Maine, Orono)

This dataset was compiled in two separate stages, both with funding support from the Scholar Strategy Network (SSN). In stage 1, we conducted two surveys--prior to serving and after serving-- of Main e Poll workers during the 2022 midterm elections. This allowed us to track the effects of serving as a poll worker on their attitudes about government, voter fraud, and fears about political violence/threats.

In the second stage, we conducted two separate field experiments in the months leading up to the 2024 presidential election where we tested different strategies for recruiting poll workers: door-to-door canvassing, and phone banking. Once again, we surveyed poll workers to track their attitudes before and after serving as a poll worker
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“Low Propensity and Low Status Voters Response to Personal Canvassing”

This dataset was collected with a randomized field experiment during the 2004 General Presidential Election.  Voters were randomly assigned into control and treatment groups and personally contacted by a volunteer canvaser.  The goal of the study was to see if contacted low status registered voters would turnout at higher rates than non-contact low status voters.  The study was conducted in Bakersfield, Ca.