In this episode of Policy Chats, Professor Jennifer Gaudette joins host Dori Pham to discuss polarization in local politics and how voters make decisions in nonpartisan elections with limited information. She explains how the absence of party labels and the decline of local news push voters to rely on shortcuts like endorsements.
Professor Gaudette shares her research showing that police union endorsements are increasingly read as a conservative signal in mayoral and city council races, while teachers union endorsements often signal a more liberal candidate. The conversation also highlights why firefighters unions do not create the same polarized reactions, and what that reveals about endorsements tied to expertise versus ideology.
The episode closes with reflections on campaign strategy, the future of nonpartisan local democracy, and how local journalism and short-form social media shape political trust and misinformation.
Topics Covered:
- How voters decide in nonpartisan local elections with limited information
- Why police union endorsements have become more polarized over time
- Endorsements as “information shortcuts” when party labels are absent
- How local candidates strategically pursue targeted endorsements
- The case for (and controversy around) partisan versus nonpartisan elections
Guest:
Jennifer Gaudette (Assistant Professor of Public Policy)
Interviewers:
Dori Pham, Host of Policy Chats, and Vir Sinha, Dean's Ambassador
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
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Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.