View in EDS

The Influence of Partisanship in Local School Board Elections: Evidence from Exit Polling in Michigan & Rhode Island. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1360

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: The Influence of Partisanship in Local School Board Elections: Evidence from Exit Polling in Michigan & Rhode Island. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1360
Language: English
Authors: Cameron J. Arnzen (ORCID 0000-0001-9076-2655), Rebecca Jacobsen (ORCID 0000-0002-6637-617X), Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Source: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. 2025.
Availability: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 52
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Descriptors: Boards of Education, Elections, Politics of Education, Decision Making, Voting, Political Attitudes
Geographic Terms: Michigan, Rhode Island
Abstract: Education in the U.S. has long been shaped by local school boards elected in nonpartisan contests, a structure intended to shield schools from broader political forces. Today, many states are considering reforms to make school board elections partisan, yet the impact on voters remains unclear. Using exit poll data from 839 voters in Michigan (nonpartisan elections) and Rhode Island (partisan elections), we examine how school board election structure influences voter decision-making. We find that partisanship strongly predicts voters' educational priorities in both contexts. Moreover, when party labels appear on ballots, voters are nearly 50 percentage points more likely to select a copartisan. These findings raise critical questions about how electoral reforms may reshape local education governance and democratic engagement.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED678259
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED678259
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: ED678259
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: The Influence of Partisanship in Local School Board Elections: Evidence from Exit Polling in Michigan & Rhode Island. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1360
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cameron+J%2E+Arnzen%22">Cameron J. Arnzen</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9076-2655">0000-0001-9076-2655</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rebecca+Jacobsen%22">Rebecca Jacobsen</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6637-617X">0000-0002-6637-617X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Annenberg+Institute+for+School+Reform+at+Brown+University%22">Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Annenberg+Institute+for+School+Reform+at+Brown+University%22"><i>Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University</i></searchLink>. 2025.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: N
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 52
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Boards+of+Education%22">Boards of Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elections%22">Elections</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Politics+of+Education%22">Politics of Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Decision+Making%22">Decision Making</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Voting%22">Voting</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Political+Attitudes%22">Political Attitudes</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Michigan%22">Michigan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rhode+Island%22">Rhode Island</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Education in the U.S. has long been shaped by local school boards elected in nonpartisan contests, a structure intended to shield schools from broader political forces. Today, many states are considering reforms to make school board elections partisan, yet the impact on voters remains unclear. Using exit poll data from 839 voters in Michigan (nonpartisan elections) and Rhode Island (partisan elections), we examine how school board election structure influences voter decision-making. We find that partisanship strongly predicts voters' educational priorities in both contexts. Moreover, when party labels appear on ballots, voters are nearly 50 percentage points more likely to select a copartisan. These findings raise critical questions about how electoral reforms may reshape local education governance and democratic engagement.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED678259
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED678259
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 52
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Boards of Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elections
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Politics of Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Decision Making
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Voting
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Political Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Michigan
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Rhode Island
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The Influence of Partisanship in Local School Board Elections: Evidence from Exit Polling in Michigan & Rhode Island. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1360
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Cameron J. Arnzen
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Rebecca Jacobsen
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 12
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
              Type: main
ResultId 1