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Mobilizing Interest: The Effects of Money on Citizen Participation in State Supreme Court Elections

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  • Melinda Gann Hall
  • Chris W. Bonneau

Abstract

In this article, we investigate one highly significant aspect of the role of money in judicial elections: whether campaign spending increases citizen participation in the recruitment and retention of judges. Specifically, by using a two‐stage modeling strategy that allows us to separate the effects of challengers from the effects of money, we assess whether relatively expensive campaigns improve the chances that citizens will vote in the 260 supreme court elections held from 1990 through 2004 in 18 states using partisan or nonpartisan elections to staff the high court bench. We find that increased spending significantly improves citizen participation in these races. Whether measured as the overall spending in each election or in per capita terms, greater spending facilitates voting. We conclude, contrary to conventional wisdom about the deleterious effects of money in judicial elections, that by stimulating mass participation and giving voters greater ownership in the outcomes of these races, expensive campaigns strengthen the critical linkage between citizens and the bench and enhance the quality of democracy.

Suggested Citation

  • Melinda Gann Hall & Chris W. Bonneau, 2008. "Mobilizing Interest: The Effects of Money on Citizen Participation in State Supreme Court Elections," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 52(3), pages 457-470, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:amposc:v:52:y:2008:i:3:p:457-470
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-5907.2008.00323.x
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    1. Gerber, Alan S. & Green, Donald P., 2000. "The Effects of Canvassing, Telephone Calls, and Direct Mail on Voter Turnout: A Field Experiment," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 94(3), pages 653-663, September.
    2. Hall, Richard L. & Van Houweling, Robert P., 1995. "Avarice and Ambition in Congress: Representatives' Decisions to Run or Retire from the U.S. House," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 89(1), pages 121-136, March.
    3. Chris W. Bonneau, 2007. "Campaign Fundraising in State Supreme Court Elections," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 88(1), pages 68-85, March.
    4. Melinda Gann Hall & Chris W. Bonneau, 2006. "Does Quality Matter? Challengers in State Supreme Court Elections," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 50(1), pages 20-33, January.
    5. Hall, Melinda Gann, 2001. "State Supreme Courts in American Democracy: Probing the Myths of Judicial Reform," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 95(2), pages 315-330, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Luca Rigotti & Arie Beresteanu, 2021. "Identification of Incomplete Preferences," Papers 2108.06282, arXiv.org, revised Feb 2025.

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