Elections

With 1,100 enrolled students, the number speaks for itself—PSCI 1150: U.S. Elections is a hot commodity on campus. The elective course offered every four years by the College of Arts and Science is a highly anticipated deep dive into how elections work in the U.S., blending a robust  understanding of history with extensive research from political science. Read More

The Choice, produced by the Dialogue Vanderbilt, is a four-part podcast focused on the key moments and ramifications of the 2024 presidential election between former president Donald J. Trump and current President Joseph R. Biden. Vanderbilt’s Jon Meacham and John Geer will blend history and political science to offer insights and context about this rematch of the 2020 presidential contest. Read More

The Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy will host a live event to shed light on the mechanics and nuance of network election calls. “The Media’s Role on Election Night” will be on Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 6 p.m. in Langford Auditorium and examine how these calls are made and how this unofficial system grew into the role it plays today.    Read More

With Tax Day (4/18) right around the corner, Americans are reminded of why taxes are such a hot topic. When you cast your ballot, do you consider taxation? Read More

Democracy is still struggling in the Americas, with citizens reporting high skepticism about electoral democracy, according to the newly released 2021 Pulse of Democracy report from Vanderbilt University’s LAPOP Lab. Read More

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Vanderbilt will offer fall classes about life on Mars, the 2018 midterms, American gun culture, and an Oz Arts production on human connections to the environment. Read More

Politicians will work harder at their jobs when their performance is reported to constituents early in their terms—but only where there’s a degree of competition from rival parties. Read More

New algorithm can help identify vulnerable polling stations and spot tampering after the fact. Read More

Too many safe seats, partisan voters and "wave" elections all influence how polarized a legislature is. Read More

Josh Clinton, co-director of Vanderbilt's Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, answers your questions about the 2016 presidential campaigns, the Republican and Democratic national conventions, and more. Read More

Presidential candidate Donald Trump may be inadvertently tapping into a phenomenon that is energizing U.S. Latinos against him when he talks of sending illegal immigrants home and building a wall blocking off Mexico. Read More

Mayoral candidates Megan Barry and David Fox presented contrasting visions for Nashville's future, as well as different descriptions of the past eight years of the city's fiscal management, during a run-off debate Aug. 24 at Vanderbilt University’s Ingram Hall at the Blair School of Music. Read More

The general runoff election for Nashville and Davidson County is set for Thursday, Sept. 10. Early voting runs Aug. 21 through Aug. 26 at the Howard Office Building, 700 2nd Ave. S., then from Aug. 27 through Sept. 5 at all regular early voting locations. Read More

Approximately a thousand people, including 59 candidates appearing on the Metro Nashville Aug. 6 election ballot, enjoyed a "meet and greet" picnic at the Vanderbilt Recreation and Wellness Center July 16. Read More

Television viewers in Nashville will soon witness the first serious political ad war for the top Metro job, says Vanderbilt political scientist John Geer. Read More

John Geer, Marc Hetherington and Bruce Oppenheimer of Vanderbilt University are available to comment on the Nov. 4 election. Read More

Primary elections in several counties across Middle Tennessee will be held Tuesday, May 6. Vote and make your voice heard. A change in state law now requires voters to have Tennessee-issued or federal government-issued identification in order to cast a ballot. Acceptable identification includes a Tennessee driver’s license with… Read More

Authors Dan Balz, Lynn Vavreck and John Sides discuss the 2012 presidential election with David Lauter of the Los Angeles Times and John Seignethaler of the First Amendment Center. The “Perspectives on Election 2012” event was held Sept. 24, 2013, at the First Amendment Center on the Vanderbilt campus.To learn… Read More

This Week on VUCast, Vanderbilt’s online newscast: Vanderbilt goes “through the wormhole” How voters are getting their say on political attack ads From the desert to the dugout… Who ya with? [vucastblurb]… Read More

Vanderbilt political science professor Jonathan Hiskey can speak to print reporters about the July 1 election in Mexico. Read More