Jennifer Heerwig is an associate professor of sociology at SUNY-Stony Brook. She's a political sociologist who studies American politics and campaign finance using quantitative methods. Her current research projects examine the political contributions of American corporate elites and the effects of new public financing initiatives on representation in local elections. 

In 2015, voters in Seattle, Washington passed I-122, an initiative to create a taxpayer-funded “democracy vouchers” program to finance municipal elections.  Concerned about the growing influence of money in politics, proponents of I-122 argued that a public campaign finance system would return control of local politics to the residents of Seattle. 

After four election cycles, Jennifer Heerwig and Brian McCabe published Democracy Vouchers and the Promise of Fairer Elections in Seattle, the most comprehensive account of the program. Through the lens of participation, representation and renewal, we show how the program is changing the political landscape in Seattle.

• Mar 12 - SPECIAL EVENT for Civic Learning Week - Increasing Youth Civic Engagement with Hands-on Projects & Civic Seal Programs with Generation Citizen
• Mar 19 - Multi-Member Districts with the League of Women Voters of WA Education Project Team
• Mar 26 - Grand Bargain Project: Reuniting America around a Common-Sense Plan for Nationwide Prosperity with Sol Erdman
• Apr 2 -  Rural Reconnect: Healing America by Rebuilding Rural Local News with Miles Sisk 
• Apr 9 -  Leaving MAGA with Rich Logis 
• Apr 16 - More Like Us: How to Reduce Political Divides at Scale with James Coan