2023 Call for Papers

ESRA invites participation from scholars in political science, public administration, law, computer science, statistics, and other fields who are working to develop rigorous empirical approaches to the study of how laws, technology, and administrative procedures affect the quality of elections in the United States. The purpose of the conference is to engage both practitioners and scholars alike on pressing topics related to U.S. elections by providing a forum for collaboration and exchange that can stimulate policy evaluation and innovation. Unlike traditional academic conferences, ESRA seeks to facilitate a shared space between academics and election professionals so as to encourage the practical applications of scholarly research in the field. 

We hope that a wide variety of topics will be addressed at the conference. We are particularly interested in new and innovative projects that evaluate the way U.S. elections are currently administered and how they may be reformed. Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Registration and turnout
• How the quality of election administration affects voter experience and behavior
• Research design and methodological challenges in election science
• Redistricting and its impact on future elections.
• How new or changed election laws affect the size and makeup of the pool of registered voters and the electorate
• Mass opinion as it relates to the conduct of elections in the U.S. including items such as voter confidence and evaluations