Graduation Year
2019
Date of Submission
4-2019
Document Type
Campus Only Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Economics
Reader 1
Heather Antecol
Terms of Use & License Information
Rights Information
2019 Harrison Sattley
Abstract
Using data from the American National Election Studies from 1968 to 2016, I explore the historical relationship between voter income, other demographic factors, and political polarization. I find that while having a higher income and a better education generally correlates with increased Republican political preference, though the relationship between higher income and increased Republican preference does not hold in lower income groups. Race is by far the most significant indicator of political preference, with whites and blacks on opposite ends of the political spectrum, and Hispanics as well as other races somewhere in between the two. In addition, I analyze the data from 20th century elections separately from 21st century elections and discover key differences in how each factor influences political preference.
Recommended Citation
Sattley, Harrison, "Voter Income, Demographics, and Political Polarization" (2019). CMC Senior Theses. 2223.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/2223
This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.
