1st Edition
California Politics Is Local Voting Behavior and Special Districts
1. The Case for Studying Special Districts and Local Elections Part I: Voters in Local Elections 2. Who Participates in Local Elections? California versus the United States 3. Who Finds Low-Salience Elections Salient? An Analysis of Participation in Four Orange County Off-Cycle Elections Part II: Special District Representatives 4. The Principal–Agent Dilemma: Appointed versus Elected Special District Representatives 5. Launch Pad or Final Resting Place: How do Special District Representatives View the Positions they Hold? Part III: Special Districts 6. Why does California have so many Special Districts? Migration, Economics, and Partisanship 7. Community Members versus Special District Representatives: The Case of the Temecula Valley Unified School District 8. California Politics is Local. Appendix A. Appendix B. Appendix C
Biography
Brett L. Savage is Assistant Professor of Political Science at San Diego Miramar College. He received his PhD in Political Science from the University of California, Irvine. His research explores American politics, public law, local government, public policy, and electoral behavior. In addition to his academic work, Brett served as Vice President of the Apple Valley Fire Protection District, a California special district, from 2017 to 2021.
Jacob Sutherland is a PhD candidate at the University of California, Irvine. His research focuses on several areas including public policy, institutions, urban affairs, and civic engagement. Jacob is also Managing Editor for Political Research Quarterly.
Special districts are California’s hidden governments, but they are vital venues for shaping some of the most salient issues in our daily lives. California Politics is Local unveils the surprising ways in which school boards and other special districts operate, tracing the patterns in political participation that give some motivated voters outsized influence over them as well as the fundamentally different ways that elected or appointed members view their representative duties. Combining novel quantitative evidence with an in-depth study drawn from today’s curriculum wars, it provides a comprehensive view of a key part of our state's democracy.
Thad Kousser, Professor of Political Science, University of California San Diego
Despite being the largest electoral institution, electing the most individuals to office, local elections are overlooked and undervalued in the US political system. California Politics is Local offers a fresh approach to local elections, including special district elections, and the perceptions and attitudes of those holding these positions. It is an informative book for students and scholars of local politics, political participation, and representation.
Gayle A. Alberda, Associate Professor of Politics, Fairfield University
