Analysis of Partisan Influence in Local Elections

• •Over 50 million voters analyzed from the 2020 elections.
• •National partisanship influences 80% of partisan voting but less than 10% for nonpartisan races.
• •Local spending measures show varying degrees of partisanship based on service type.

Recent studies analyze the impact of national partisanship on local elections in the U.S., utilizing data from over 50 million voters in the 2020 general elections. The findings indicate that while voting in partisan contests is heavily influenced by national partisanship, local nonpartisan offices and ballot measures show significantly less partisan alignment. Specifically, over 80% of the variation in voting for partisan offices can be attributed to national partisanship, while this drops to below 10% for nonpartisan contests. The research also highlights that the degree of partisanship in local spending measures varies based on the type of service, such as education and public safety. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on the nationalization of local politics and the implications for voter behavior and policy outcomes.