Louisiana Sheriff Elections
Louisiana Sheriff Elections
By
Norman Clark, M.P.A.
PhD Student, Political Science Department
Louisiana State University
307 Stubbs Hall,
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803-5433
225.287.6547
Nclar11@LSU.edu
Paper was presented at the 93rd Annual Meeting of the Southwester Social Science Association, March 27- 30, 2013, New Orleans, Louisiana. This paper is a section of a dissertation in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy in the Department of Political Science.
Louisiana Sheriff Elections
Norman Clark
Louisiana State University This study examines Louisiana sheriff elections, specifically the impact incumbency, candidate quality, and crime rates have on those elections. Six election cycles from 1987 through 2007 were used to provide a total of 320 parish elections involving 1076 candidates. The purpose of this study is to determine some of the factors that Louisiana voters use to decide who to elect for sheriff. Do voters prefer candidates with law enforcement experience or an experienced politician when electing the chief law enforcement official in a county? Although some candidates will have both political and law enforcement experience, it is presumed that law enforcement experience will have the stronger impact of the two. A linear regression model is used to analyze data gathered from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, official election results, the Louisiana Sheriffs Association, local news media, and various Louisiana sheriff’s offices. The output suggests that crime rates are not as important as believed, but law enforcement experience is far more important than political experience. Also, incumbency is as influential in parish sheriff elections as it is in the state and federal legislative elections.
Introduction
“The state is considered the sole source of the ‘right’ to use violence.” (Weber 1972, 1)
County sheriffs in the United States are elected and
By
Norman Clark, M.P.A.
PhD Student, Political Science Department
Louisiana State University
307 Stubbs Hall,
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803-5433
225.287.6547
Nclar11@LSU.edu
Paper was presented at the 93rd Annual Meeting of the Southwester Social Science Association, March 27- 30, 2013, New Orleans, Louisiana. This paper is a section of a dissertation in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy in the Department of Political Science.
Louisiana Sheriff Elections
Norman Clark
Louisiana State University This study examines Louisiana sheriff elections, specifically the impact incumbency, candidate quality, and crime rates have on those elections. Six election cycles from 1987 through 2007 were used to provide a total of 320 parish elections involving 1076 candidates. The purpose of this study is to determine some of the factors that Louisiana voters use to decide who to elect for sheriff. Do voters prefer candidates with law enforcement experience or an experienced politician when electing the chief law enforcement official in a county? Although some candidates will have both political and law enforcement experience, it is presumed that law enforcement experience will have the stronger impact of the two. A linear regression model is used to analyze data gathered from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, official election results, the Louisiana Sheriffs Association, local news media, and various Louisiana sheriff’s offices. The output suggests that crime rates are not as important as believed, but law enforcement experience is far more important than political experience. Also, incumbency is as influential in parish sheriff elections as it is in the state and federal legislative elections.
Introduction
“The state is considered the sole source of the ‘right’ to use violence.” (Weber 1972, 1)
County sheriffs in the United States are elected and