Elections and Representation in American Municipal Administration: Elite Survey Evidence from Five New England States

Does electing or appointing public officials affect how they represent their constituents? Municipal clerks in the New England states provide an ideal setting to explore these questions, as they are essential government actors, serve in full-service local governments with few overlapping jurisdictions, and vary selection methods. We conduct an original online and mail survey of municipal clerks in five New England states. Our findings suggest elected clerks are more public service-oriented and attentive to constituent concerns, but there is little difference in substantive ideological, partisan, or policy representation between selection methods. Our analysis provides clear evidence of the relationship between the extensive margin of elections and representation, providing a model for future exploration of additional offices and dimensions of representation.

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