Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Taking the specific case of New Jersey charter school legislation, I examine the degree to which state-initiated privatization reforms effect local political participation. Using outcomes from voting in spring school budget elections in New Jersey’s nearly six hundred school districts from 1997-2002, I examine the relationship between the presence of charter schools in a district and voting behavior in the school budget elections. I find evidence that charter school districts are associated with relative decreases in voter turnout. These results suggest that making less-public the choices in the public space can have effects on participation within that space. These results also suggest that state-level policy initiatives can have local political effects, though it is not possible to generalize beyond those focused on the privatization of public services.