Department of Political Science

Washington had the smallest rightward shift of any state in the 2024 presidential election, an Axios analysis finds — although, after three weeks of vote counting, it's no longer true that the state trended slightly more blue. Victor Menaldo, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

"Climate policy should not become associated with halted mobility, dark and cold buildings, and spoiled food in refrigerators. An important collective (as opposed to household) level response to outages is to strengthen grid resilience via undergrounding power lines," write the UW's Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science.

In the aftermath of the 2024 election, Democrats are confronting a possible existential threat: The erosion of support among important demographic groups, particularly Latinos. Sophia Jordán Wallace, professor of political science at the UW, is interviewed.

Democrats faced heavy losses nationwide on Election Day, with many districts turning away from the party as Republican Donald Trump won another term as president. Experts say Democratic leaders should take pointers from U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. Victor Menaldo, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

After a week of vote counting, Washington still appears to be the only state that got slightly bluer in the 2024 presidential election — and political observers have several theories why. Victor Menaldo and Mark Smith, professors of political science at the UW, are quoted.

"While voters overwhelmingly rejected I-2117 by a 62%-38% margin (that is, voted to continue cap-and-invest), they narrowly supported I-2066 by a 51% - 49% margin (that is, they opposed transitioning from gas)," write the UW's Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science.

Silicon Valley didn’t shift right. It just wants to be left alone. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

The UW's political science professors James Long and Victor Menaldo are interviewed on whether the U.S. election was the latest eruption of populism across the globe.

The prescription to fix the Democratic Party after a historic loss in the presidential race, likely won’t be found in Washington State. Victor Menaldo, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

"Those fearing an impending dictatorship underestimate the robustness of our institutions and overstate the power of any individual to dismantle them," writes Victor Menaldo, professor of political science at the UW.

Before the results of the 2024 election start rolling in, UW News asked three University of Washington professors of political science to discuss whatâs on their minds heading into the final hours.

A survey of voters in July showed approval of Washington's four statewide initiatives, including repealing the Climate Commitment Act and the state's long-term care program. Three months later and voters appear more likely to reject three of them. James Long, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

"Hurricanes Helene and Milton remind us of electricity infrastructure’s vulnerability to extreme weather events. However, at least one Florida community, Babcock Ranch, managed to avoid electricity shutoffs from downed power lines," write the UW's Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science.

The best way to stay engaged in the political process is to vote. But even with a record number of people voting in the last presidential election, we still only had a 66.8% turnout, unfortunately. Victor Menaldo, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

Silicon Valley has historically prided itself on technological supremacy and a belief in social progress. Now many of its loudest and most well-resourced personalities support a candidate who espouses retrograde views. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.