Date of Award

1991

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

First Advisor

Ronald E. Weber

Second Advisor

James C. Garand

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is to determine what factors account for variations in voter turnout in Louisiana contested nonpartisan trial and intermediate appellate court elections. The central questions to be addressed are: (1) what is the precise relationship between incumbency or prior judicial experience, campaign spending, and the race of judicial candidates, ceteris paribus (with all else remaining the same), on electoral participation in judicial elections in the State of Louisiana from 1981 to 1988 and (2) is the electorate that participates in judicial elections typical or atypical of the electorate that participates in presidential general races in terms of their demographic characteristics? Based upon my assessment of existing literature on state nonpartisan judicial elections, the present research adds considerably to what has not been explained with regards to factors which may influence voter turnout in these elections. Existing literature indicate that much research needs to be conducted on the subject of state judicial elections. Voter turnout in judicial elections has almost been ignored by scholars who have focused their attentions on electoral participation in major partisan contests such as presidential, congressional, or gubernatorial. Furthermore, researchers who have considered voter turnout in judicial elections have focused their attentions on electoral participation in state supreme court elections. This dissertation represents my attempt to fill the void which exists in the literature on voter turnout in state trial and intermediate appellate court elections.

Pages

180

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_disstheses.5179

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