The Effects of Race, Economics, and Millennials on Voting Patterns in Mississippi

Author

Katelin Davis, University of Mississippi. Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College

Date of Award

2017

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Department

Political Science

First Advisor

Marvin King

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

This thesis applies Bill Bishop's Big Sort theory to sixteen Mississippi counties. The goal is to determine whether Bishop's theory is applicable to Southern states like Mississippi. Based on Mississippi's unique political history, background on the Deep South's move from Solid Democrat to Solid Republican is included. Research necessary to understand the implications of the data including education, poverty, population density, religion, and race are also included. The Mississippi county data is sourced from Presidential voting records from 2004 and 2008, the United States Census Bureau, and the Association of Religion Data Archives. Using 16 Mississippi counties as a testing group, binary correlations and linear regression patterns show that while Bishop's argument might be applicable in metropolitan areas, the older stories of race, economics, and age matter most in a rural state like Mississippi.

Recommended Citation

Davis, Katelin, "The Effects of Race, Economics, and Millennials on Voting Patterns in Mississippi" (2017). Honors Theses. 507.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/507

Accessibility Status

Searchable text