21 register to vote and use their voter registration card instead of a state-issued ID. So, while it seems the burden is higher for some people to show proof of identity, all valid voters can meet these requirements with a few minutes of time. Further, college students at OSU can choose to vote absentee in their hometown, by filling out paperwork more than 30 days before the election, but they can also register here in Stillwater since they reside here. Given these types of laws, the burden really is on the political parties and candidates to get out the vote. Once parties and candidates register voters, the state will send voters the card that will allow them to vote. What role will social media play in this election? The role of social media is increasing in the election. Each election we see a larger impact. In 2008, the number of campaign ads produced for online only, not televised, changed the landscape. And the number of candidates using Facebook pages continues to increase. Candidates are adapting to the changing social media climate, and for college students, this is a great way to involve them in the process. But I think social media plays a larger role not through candidate pages, but by people commenting about politics and interacting with politics among social groups and networks. The level of political discussion occurring among people within their networks is increasing via social media and I think these types of discussions and interactions are influential. People learn about politics and receive cues about the election from their social networks, and social media is the new way to connect social networks together rather than face-to-face discussion. How does political behavior vary along gender lines? If so, how? If not, why? Are female leaders treated differently than male leaders? Would you discuss gender, as it pertains to the political arena, in Oklahoma? Politics has traditionally been viewed as a man’s world, and it is no wonder that gender differences are present. At the most basic level, a gender gap exists in voting, with women more likely to vote Democratic and men more likely to vote Republican. However, the gap has ebbed and flowed in past elections, and specific candidates can influence the magnitude of the gap. Women have become more active in politics, and we do not find differences in voter registration and turnout rates. We also have seen an increase in the number of female candidates since the historic 1992 “Year of the Woman” electoral climate. Subtle differences, though, still exist. My co-author Tracy Osborn and I have studied the effects of gender in social networks, and we find that women are perceived to be less politically knowledgeable. Further, women form their political social networks with family and friends, while men are more likely to discuss politics with co-workers, and not family members. Further, women are more likely to name their husband as someone they discuss politics with, but men are not likely to name their wives as people they discuss politics with. All of these subtle effects undermine the role and legitimacy of women in the political system. But this does not mean that things are bleak for women. Some studies show that the presence of women in office serves as a role model for young females. And in Oklahoma, it is particularly encouraging that we finally have a female governor. Further, the (Oklahoma) 2010 gubernatorial election had two (major party) female candidates, which has only occurred in the United States a handful of times since 1992. Female leaders and candidates have an additional hurdle because they need to overcome gender stereotypes of being too compassionate and emotional, while also being masculine enough. But being too masculine triggers additional stereotypes and intense media scrutiny. Because they are under more scrutiny and media coverage often is superficial — appearance, etc. — female candidates are more strategic than male candidates usually and choose opportune times to run, such as when there is not an incumbent. Because of this, female candidates tend to be successful when they run. The presidential election is just around the corner. What do you dub this election (for example, President Barack Obama has been dubbed “the first Facebook president”)? What’s your take on this election? Care to make any predictions? This sounds like something my students would ask me! And I would tell them that electoral forecasting is a risky business. The odds are 50-50, but many political scientists get it wrong. What I think this election will focus on is a referendum on Obama. Obama cannot campaign on change again, and instead needs to show how he has achieved change in the last few years. Romney, on the other hand, has so far built a campaign on attacking Obama, but offering little substance on what he would do in office. I think this got him through the primary season pretty much, but I expect Obama to get tough and press him more on specifics. In the end, most elections with an incumbent come down to simple retrospective voting — the idea that you look back over the last four years and evaluate if you and the nation are in a better or worse place. continues
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