Michael Miller

Michael G. Miller

Associate Professor of Political Science

Department

Political Science

Office

Milstein 1104
Office Hours Weds, 12-2

Contact

CV

Michael G. Miller joined Barnard’s faculty in 2014. Professor Miller studies American elections, parties, and political behavior.  His research is particularly focused on three broad topics: How people respond to changes in rules governing elections, elite political behavior (candidates, legislators, and local party chairs), and mass political behavior. He is particularly interested in election law and administration. Professor Miller teaches classes in these substantive areas, as well as in applied statistics and data science.

Professor Miller is an author of three books and more than two dozen peer-reviewed articles. His research appears in outlets such as The American Political Science Review, The Journal of Politics, Public Opinion Quarterly, Political Research Quarterly, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Political Behavior, and others. His work has been covered in a range of media outlets, including MSNBC, CSPAN, The Washington Post, The Monkey Cage, Vox, and 538 Politics. It has also been utilized as empirical evidence in arguments before the United States Supreme Court, as well as in committee testimony before the United States Senate and a number of state and municipal legislatures. 

  • Ph.D. Cornell University. Government
  • M.A. Minnesota State University. Political Science
  • B.A. Concordia College (MN). Political Science and Business

  • American Elections
  • Political Behavior
  • Election Science
  • Applied Statistics and Data Science

  • POLS UN 1201: Introduction to American Politics (Large Lecture). 
  • POLS V 3250: Voting and Political Behavior.
  • POLS BC 3337: Reforming American Elections.
  • POLS BC 3325: The Politics of “Bad Behavior” (Barnard Colloquium).
  • POLS BC 3334: American Elections (Barnard Colloquium).
  • POLS BC 3555: Political Behavior (Barnard Colloquium).
  • POLS UN 3706: Empirical Research Methods in Political Science.

  • American Political Science Association: Elections, Public Opinion, & Voting Behavior; Experimental Research; Political Methodology; State Politics & Policy; Legislative Studies
  • Midwest Political Science Association 
  • Society of Empirical Legal Scholars

Publications

Doherty, David, Conor Dowling, and Michael G. Miller. 2022. Small Power: How Local Parties Shape Elections. Oxford University Press.

Miller, Michael G. 2014. Subsidizing Democracy: How Public Funding Changes Elections, and How It Can Work in the Future. Cornell University Press.

Dowling, Conor, and Michael G. Miller. 2014. Super PAC! Money, Elections, and Voters After Citizens United. Routledge.

Miller, Michael G., and Joseph Sutherland. 2022. “The Effect of Gender on Interruptions at Congressional Hearings.” The American Political Science Review. Forthcoming.

Doherty, David, Conor Dowling, Michael G. Miller, and Michelle Tuma. 2022. “Race, Crime, and the Public’s Sentencing Preferences.” Public Opinion Quarterly. Conditionally Accepted.

Fraga, Bernard, and Michael G. Miller. 2022. “Who Does Voter ID Keep from Voting?” The Journal of Politics. Forthcoming; Available Online.

Miller, Michael G. 2021. “Candidate Extremism and Voter Roll-Off in U.S. House Elections.” Legislative Studies Quarterly. Forthcoming; Available Online.

Doherty, David, Conor Dowling, and Michael G. Miller. 2021. “The Conditional Effect of Local Party Organization Activity on Federal Election Outcomes.” The Journal of Elections, Public Opinion, and Parties 31(3): 368-387.

Feder, Catalina, and Michael G. Miller. 2020. “Voter Purges After Shelby.” American Politics Research 48(6): 687-692.

Miller, Michael G., and Michelle D. Tuma. 2020. “Stare Decisis and the Electoral Connection: Do Retention Systems Affect Judges' Deference to Precedent?” State Politics and Policy Quarterly. 20(2): 157-184. 

Doherty, David, Conor Dowling, and Michael G. Miller. 2019. “Do Local Party Chairs Think Women and Minority Candidates Can Win? Evidence from a Conjoint Experiment.” The Journal of Politics. 81(4): 1282-1297. (Winner of Best Paper Award, APSA Experiments Section, 2017). 

Battaglini, Charles, Jose Gomez, Ki Young Kim, James LaBelle, Casey Libonate, Oliver A. McClellan, Carly Roman, Julia Maria Rubio, and Michael G. Miller. 2019. “Leveraging Size: Congressional Simulations in a Large Lecture Course.” The Journal of Political Science Education. Forthcoming. Published Online October 18, 2019.

Dowling, Conor, Michael Henderson, and Michael G. Miller. 2019. "Knowledge Persists, Opinions Drift: Learning and Opinion Change in a Three-Wave Panel Experiment." American Politics Research 48(2): 263-274.       

Hamel, Brian, and Michael G. Miller. 2018. “How Voters Punish and Donors Protect Legislators Embroiled in Scandal.” Political Research Quarterly 72 (1): 117-131.

Kulesza, Christopher, Michael G. Miller, and Christopher Witko. 2017. “State Responses to U.S. Supreme Court Campaign Finance Decisions.” Publius: The Journal of Federalism 47(3): 467-490.

Miller, Michael G. 2016. “The Power of an Hour: Candidate Effort in State Legislative Elections.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 41(2): 327-359. 

Doherty, David, Conor Dowling, and Michael G. Miller. 2016. “When Is Changing Policy Positions Costly for Politicians? Experimental Evidence.” Political Behavior 38(2): 455-484.

Dowling, Conor, and Michael G. Miller. 2016. “Experimental Evidence on the Relationship Between Interest Group Funding and Candidate Vote Share.” Journal of Experimental Political Science. 3(2): 152-163.

Miller, Michael G., Michelle Tuma, and Logan Woods. 2015. “Revisiting Roll-Off in Alerted Optical Scan Precincts: Evidence From Illinois General Elections.” Election Law Journal 14(4): 382-391.

Miller, Michael G. 2015. “Going All-In: Gender and Campaign Commitment.” Research and Politics 2(3). 

Dowling, Conor, and Michael G. Miller. 2015. “Can Information Alter Perceptions About Women's Chances of Winning Office? Evidence from a Panel Study.” Politics and Gender 11(1): 55-88.

Masket, Seth, and Michael G. Miller. 2015. “Does Public Election Funding Create More Extreme Legislators? Evidence from Arizona and Maine.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 15(1): 24-40.

Doherty, David, Conor Dowling, and Michael G. Miller. 2014. “Does Time Heal All Wounds? Sex Scandals, Tax Evasion, and the Passage of Time.” PS: Political Science and Politics 47(2): 357-366.

Miller, Michael G. 2013. “Do Audible Alerts Reduce Undervotes? Evidence From Illinois.” Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy 12(2): 162-178.

Doherty, David, Conor Dowling, and Michael G. Miller. 2011. "Are Financial or Moral Scandals Worse? It Depends." PS: Political Science and Politics 44(4): 749-757.

Miller, Michael G. 2011. “After the GAO Report: What Do We Know About Public Election Funding?” Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy 10(3): 273-290.

Miller, Michael G. 2008. “Gaming Arizona: Public Money and Shifting Candidate Strategies.” PS: Political Science and Politics 41(3): July. 527-32. 1

Miller, Michael G. 2011. “Public Money, Candidate Time, and Electoral Outcomes in State Legislative Elections.” In Public Financing in American Elections. Costas Panagopoulos (ed.) Temple University Press.

Miller, Michael G., and Costas Panagopoulos. 2011. “Public Financing, Attitudes Toward Government and Politics, and Efficacy.” In Public Financing in American Elections. Costas Panagopoulos (ed.) Temple University Press.