Joshua Ferrer

Joshua Ferrer

PhD candidate in Political Science

University of California, Los Angeles

I am a PhD candidate in Political Science at the University of California, Los Angeles, with concentrations in American politics, methods, racial and ethnic politics, and comparative politics. My research studies challenges to democratic elections in the United States, with an emphasis on state and local politics. I combine large-scale original data collections on elections with administrative datasets, employ modern empirical techniques for causal inference, and field survey experiments to study questions about partisanship, accountability, and representation.

My dissertation uses this approach to study election administration in the U.S. and its resilience in the face of increasing partisan polarization, the limits of accountability for local offices, underrepresentation of racial minorities, and heightened turnover in the profession. I also study the racialization of anti-democratic attitudes, primary elections, and the politics of electoral reform.

I hold a Master of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Master of Arts degree in Politics from the University of Otago, which I earned on a Fulbright Grant to New Zealand. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Amherst College with majors in Political Science and Music. My work has been published or is forthcoming in peer-reviewed journals such as The American Political Science Review and The British Journal of Political Science; in reports with the Bipartisan Policy Center and Transparency International; and in media outlets such as The Washington Post and The Conversation. My work has also received coverage from major news sites including NBC, NPR, Bloomberg, and The Guardian.

Interests
  • Election administration
  • Local and state politics
  • Racial and ethnic politics
  • Electoral reform
  • New Zealand politics
Education
  • PhD candidate in Political Science

    University of California, Los Angeles

  • MA in Political Science, 2022

    University of California, Los Angeles

  • MA in Politics, 2020

    University of Otago

  • BA in Political Science and Music, 2018

    Amherst College

Job Market Paper

Publications

The Global Legislators Database
Electing America's Election Officials
How Partisan Is Local Election Administration?
Black Lives Matter and the Racialized Support for the January 6 Insurrection

Working Papers

Beyond the Trump Presidency. The Racial Underpinnings of White Americans' Anti-Democratic Beliefs.
Do Local Election Officials Represent Their Constituents?

Reports

The Effect of Open Primaries on Turnout and Representation
Election Official Turnover Rates from 2000-2024
2022 Primary Turnout. Trends and Lessons for Boosting Participation
Online Political Campaigning in New Zealand
2018 Primary Turnout and Reforms

Contact

  • joshuaferrer at ucla dot edu
  • 4289 Bunche Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90095
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