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Minority representation, election method, and policy influence

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  • Tim R. Sass
  • Stephen L. Mehay

Abstract

Recently a number of legal scholars have advocated jurisdiction‐wide cumulative voting as a mechanism to promote minority representation. Among other benefits, they claim minority representatives will have greater policy influence if they are elected in at‐large contests rather than from single‐member districts. We test this proposition by estimating the deter‐minants of minority hiring practices. We find increases in the proportion of black representatives on a city council are positively correlated with the percentage of black police recruits. However, holding constant black representation, the impact of black councilors on municipal hiring is enhanced when councilors are elected at‐large rather than by district.

Suggested Citation

  • Tim R. Sass & Stephen L. Mehay, 2003. "Minority representation, election method, and policy influence," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(3), pages 323-339, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecopol:v:15:y:2003:i:3:p:323-339
    DOI: 10.1111/1468-0343.00127
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Freeman, Richard B. & Ichniowski, Casey (ed.), 1988. "When Public Sector Workers Unionize," National Bureau of Economic Research Books, University of Chicago Press, edition 1, number 9780226261669, December.
    3. Borjas, George J, 1982. "The Politics of Employment Discrimination in the Federal Bureaucracy," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 25(2), pages 271-299, October.
    4. Levitt, Steven D, 1997. "Using Electoral Cycles in Police Hiring to Estimate the Effect of Police on Crime," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 87(3), pages 270-290, June.
    5. Michael Greene & Emily Hoffnar, 1995. "Political empowerment: earnings in the presence of African-American mayors," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 2(9), pages 298-301.
    6. Cameron, Charles & Epstein, David & O'Halloran, Sharyn, 1996. "Do Majority-Minority Districts Maximize Substantive Black Representation in Congress?," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 90(4), pages 794-812, December.
    7. Richard B. Freeman & Casey Ichniowski & Jeffrey Zax, 1988. "Appendix A: Collective Organization of Labor in the Public Sector," NBER Chapters, in: When Public Sector Workers Unionize, pages 365-398, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Mladenka, Kenneth R., 1989. "Blacks and Hispanics in Urban Politics," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 83(1), pages 165-191, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. William Doerner & Keith Ihlanfeldt, 2011. "City government structure: are some institutions undersupplied?," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 149(1), pages 109-132, October.
    2. Gil S. Epstein & Odelia Heizler, 2018. "Minorities and Political Success," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 38(1), pages 657-671.
    3. Duane Cooper & Arthur Zillante, 2012. "A comparison of cumulative voting and generalized plurality voting," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 150(1), pages 363-383, January.
    4. Felipe González & Magdalena Larreboure, 2021. "The Impact of the Women’s March on the U.S. House Election," Documentos de Trabajo 560, Instituto de Economia. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile..

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