Sexual orientation and vote choice: how race affects support of openly-gay candidates

Abstract

ABSTRACT The increasing number of Black LGBTQ candidates and elected officials suggests that voters are being asked to evaluate their candidacies more often. These scenarios raise the question about how voters—particularly white voters—respond to these candidates, including in non-partisan races such as primaries. In this study, we test how sharing information about a candidate’s racial and sexual identity affects support from white and Black voters. Data come from an original online survey experiment conducted at 14 college campuses. We find that students use race and sexual orientation as vote-guiding heuristics, using stereotypes to fill in for knowledge gaps to try to make choices consistent with their partisan affiliations. We also find, contrary to concerns in some circles that openly-LGBTQ candidates are at an electoral disadvantage, that college students are more supportive of candidates that are identified as openly gay.