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Public Opinion and Judicial Behavior in Direct Democracy Systems: Gay Rights in the American States

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2021

Daniel C. Lewis ,
Frederick S. Wood  and
Matthew L. Jacobsmeier
Daniel C. Lewis*
Affiliation:
Siena College, Loudonville, NY, USA
Frederick S. Wood
Affiliation:
Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC, USA
Matthew L. Jacobsmeier
Affiliation:
West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
*
Daniel C. Lewis, Siena College, 515 Loudon Rd., Loudonville, NY 12054, USA. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Although the U.S. judiciary is designed to be an independent and counter-majoritarian arbiter of the law, many states feature electoral institutions that may expose judges to public pressure. Scholars have demonstrated that judicial elections provide a clear link between public opinion and judicial decision making that may undermine the ability of courts to act in counter-majoritarian ways to protect minority rights. We extend this line of inquiry by examining whether direct democracy institutions have a similar effect of enhancing the impact of public opinion on judicial behavior and reducing the likelihood of judges voting in favor of minority rights. Empirical results from an analysis of gay rights cases in the American states from 1981 to 2004 provide evidence that direct democracy, in conjunction with electoral retention methods, significantly increases the effect of public opinion on judicial decisions.

Keywords

direct democracypolitical behaviorjudicial electionsjudicial politicsjudicial behaviorpolitics of sexualityidentity/group politicsissue preferencespublic opinion
Type
Research Article
Information
State Politics & Policy Quarterly , Volume 14 , Issue 4 , December 2014 , pp. 367 - 388
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2014

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