Demographic dreams, institutional realities: election design and Latino representation in American education

Abstract

ABSTRACTStructural elements of the political process can influence whether the interests of racial and ethnic minorities are accounted for by policy-making organizations. This study focuses on these elements by analyzing how the institutional design of local elections impacts the representation of the Latino demographic. We use an original, nationally representative survey of the 1800 largest U.S. school districts conducted over several years to assess the consequences of at-large elections, election timing, and partisanship for Latinos’ political footing within an increasingly salient venue of local politics. A contemporary study of the politics of Latino education is warranted given that Latinos comprise nearly 17% of the general population, and now account for nearly a quarter of all students enrolled in public school districts. Our findings reveal that the institutional arrangement of local elections contributes to Latinos’ persistently low levels of representation on urban school boards throughout the country.