Date of Award
Spring 5-2013
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Department
Political Science, International Development, and International Affairs
First Advisor
Marek Steedman
Advisor Department
Political Science, International Development, and International Affairs
Abstract
This research to follow compares voting trends between blacks in urban cities and smaller, non-urban cities. The research aims to replicate the findings based on studies of large cities that blacks tend to have higher or lower turnout rates when there is a black public office holder. Election results were taken from mayoral elections in Alexandria, LA and Monroe, LA. Previous research indicates that blacks have a high rate of turnout in urban areas when there is a black elected official. However, does this effect hold true in non-urban, small cities? Blacks in smaller, non-urban cities, this study finds, do not mobilize at the same rate as this in urban areas. This directly contradicts popular theory on black voting.
This study is significant because it contributes to our knowledge of those who have been left out of the discussion of black voting—blacks outside of urban cities—and suggests further research is needed to understand the difference between urban blacks and their smaller city counterparts.
Copyright
Copyright for this thesis is owned by the author. It may be freely accessed by all users. However, any reuse or reproduction not covered by the exceptions of the Fair Use or Educational Use clauses of U.S. Copyright Law or without permission of the copyright holder may be a violation of federal law. Contact the administrator if you have additional questions.
Recommended Citation
Rayborn, Samantha D., "Black Empowerment and Mobilization: A Comparison of Urban and Small City Trends" (2013). Honors Theses. 106.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/106