I am an Associate Professor of Political Science at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. My research has been published in the Journal of Politics, Political Analysis, Political Research Quarterly, Political Behavior, Public Opinion Quarterly, American Politics Research and other journals. My research focuses on political communication about voting and elections in the United States.

Prior to Skidmore, I was an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Miami (FL) Assistant Professor of political communication in the Manship School of Mass Communication and Department of Political Science at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA. I received my Ph.D. in Political Science from Yale University in 2009.

Field Experiments on Voter Registration & Voting Participation

First, I use large-scale field experiments to better how participation in elections can be increased. I am especially interested in how to effectively communicate about new procedures such as voting by mail (a.k.a. no excuse absentee voting), early in person voting, all-mail voting (a.k.a. postal voting) and Election Day voting. Pre-Election Day voting accounts for more than 1-in-3 ballots cast in recent Presidential Elections, but has received very little attention from scholars. My experiments explore how participation and mobilization differ when voters have options about how to cast their ballot. Additional work with field experiments explore the effect of voter registration programs on participation, the spillover/dispersion of mobilization effects in social networks, and experimental methodology.

Election Administration

Second, I conduct research on election administration, particularly the effects of changes to permit (and occasionally restrict) pre-Election Day voting alternatives. I also work with Charles Stewart of MIT to coordinate the Polling Place Research project. This research includes partnerships with public election agencies to conduct field experiments and analyses of observation data.

Political Persuasion and Campaign Effects

Third, I use field experiments to explore the effect of persuasive campaign communication about candidates and ballot measures. This research focuses on what types of information citizens recall from persuasive communication, and on the effects of negative advertising.

Other Research

Finally, I have several other projects on various topics, including survey methodology and the consequences of political conventions on local turnout and vote choice.

Political Consulting Background

Before my academic career, I spent more than a decade as a political consultant, campaign manager, and executive director of non-profit and political organizations. I try to serve as a bridge between scholars and political professionals, often by conducting field experiments in partnership with civic and political organizations to address research questions with theoretical and practical implications.