Computer Simulation of State Electorates

Development of a model for estimating public opinion in the fifty states can have a major impact on research in comparative American state politics. Until now the major studies in this field of political science have generally used aggregate electoral data, demographic data, fiscal data, or elite attitudinal studies to analyze state politics and policymaking. The research reported here was designed to give impetus to attempts to use national surveys in such comparative research. With a technique for estimating public opinion from national data, political scientists can begin to examine empirically the relationship between public policy preferences and policymaking at subnational levels.