Jen Heerwig

🚨 We’re HIRING! 🚨
The Department of Sociology at Stony Brook University (SUNY) is seeking two tenure-track Assistant Professors in Global Inequality & Justice (start Fall 2026).

Come join a vibrant, growing department at New York’s top public university!
📍 Apply here: apply.interfolio.com/172669

New Book Examines Seattle Democracy Voucher Program’s Success An interview with Dr. Jen Heerwig, co-author of a book researching how Seattle's pioneering program has helped boost voter participation and local representation

Seattle voters just approved a renewal of the city's pioneering Democracy Voucher program, with 56% in favor.

A new book from @drjenh.bsky.social found that the program, created to counter Big Money in elections, has increased local donor participation and diversified Seattle's candidate pool.

Seattle voters appear poised to renew Democracy Voucher program Proposition 1, funded through a property tax, gives Seattle residents four $25 vouchers to distribute to local candidates each election cycle.

YES!! Seattle voters appear poised to renew Democracy Voucher Program - www.cascadepbs.org/election-202...

Seattle's Democracy Voucher Program Faces Critical Renewal Vote in August Primary Proposition 1 would continue nation's only public campaign financing system using vouchers

Seattle's Democracy Vouchers are on the August ballot!

Proposition 1 would renew funding for the 1st system in the U.S. that gives residents public money to support local candidates of their choice.

An advocate and professor who has studied the program help us understand what's at stake.

#SEAelex

Seattle’s democracy vouchers are working. Here’s the proof • Washington State Standard COMMENTARY | The publicly funded campaign finance program has brought tens of thousands more people into the city's political process.

Seattle's successful Democracy Voucher program has led to the number of registered voters contributing to campaigns DOUBLING in just the first 4 years.

Professors @drjenh.bsky.social and Brian J. McCabe lay out the facts for why voters should vote @yesonprop1seattle.bsky.social on Aug 5!

Happy to share this op-ed on Seattle’s Democracy Voucher program as voters consider renewing the program’s tax levy (I would vote YES!)

Great interview with @sludge.bsky.social about my book on Seattle’s Democracy Voucher program and upcoming renewal! Watch for the information. Stay for my hilarious facial expressions!

Real Estate Industry Bankrolls Cuomo Super PAC Several donors benefited when former Gov. Cuomo killed the Moreland Commission, a state anti-corruption panel that was investigating them.

New: Cuomo's real estate industry donors, who dodged a major corruption investigation that he shut down in 2014, are now funding the super PAC backing him.

🎉🎉🎉Democracy Vouchers and the Promise of Fairer Elections in Seattle event hosted by @brennancenter.bsky.social @scholars.org with thanks to @ianvan.bsky.social @kevintmorris.bsky.social @heathbrown.bsky.social

Four Dems voted for the GOP's SAVE Act, described by voting rights advocates as "the worst voting law passed by Congress."

- Ed Case (#HI01)
- Henry Cuellar (#TX28)
- Jared Golden (#ME02)
- Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (#WA03)

Three are currently in the Blue Dog Coalition; Case is a former co-chair.

(Image of a google doc; first line is title & in larger font) Speaking Out for Democracy and US Higher Education To add your name to this statement, go to https://bit.ly/DemocracyAndHigherEdSign We publicly affirm our commitment to the enterprise of higher education in a democratic and free society, and to the values and practices that facilitate the production, advancement, and sharing of knowledge. Given the continuous and escalating attacks on higher education along with many other pillars of American democracy by the Trump administration and its allies, we call on colleges and universities to protect these values. We affirm that: The democratic ideals of free thought, free speech, free association, freedom of assembly and the right to dissent are worth fighting for. Democracy both honors our dignity as individuals and enables collective action on behalf of the common good.

2. Education is a fundamental pillar of a democratic society. People come from all over the world to take part in the free exchange of ideas and the depth of knowledge and expertise found in US colleges and universities. The capacity and tools these institutions provide to think carefully and deeply about politics, society, and the built and natural worlds produce scholars and world citizens whose contributions benefit us all. The value of American education has long been a consensus position across parties and ideologies; both Democratic and Republican administrations have supported our system of higher education. 3. Diversity is essential. Democracy requires that we invest fully in the rich array of our differences. We affirm the fundamental dignity and value of each person of every race, ethnicity, national origin, class, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, legal status, religion, identity, ideology and viewpoint. Bringing together people with different experiences, talents, and perspectives is critical to a successful learning environment and ultimately benefits society as a whole. 4. Education, knowledge, and science are intrinsically worthwhile. They improve both individual lives and the collective well-being of a democratic society. Cutting funding risks inflicting lasting damage on scholarly inquiry, from work in the arts to social policy to life-saving medical research and care.

5. Academic freedom is necessary to the pursuit of knowledge. Research must be conducted free from political threat if it is to identify and develop ideas serving the human race. These ideas, turned into action, are critical elements of any functioning society, including the rule of law, medical care, and scientific advancement. 6. No amount of accommodation or compliance will protect us. The current attacks on higher education amount to an assault on the foundational principles of democracy. If we abandon our commitments to equality, pluralism, and free scholarly inquiry we turn our backs on the most essential ingredients to our democracy: reflecting on our past, pooling our present talents, and investing in our future. As scholars, educators, and people who care about our students and our democracy, we believe it is our duty to speak out against the attacks on diversity and pluralism, on scholarship and learning, on academic freedom, and on democracy itself. We are doing so through this statement, and will continue to do so on our campuses and beyond. We urge the leaders of America’s colleges and universities, and every American who believes in democracy and education, to stand up for the values we share. We call on college and university leadership to refuse to comply with the unethical, irresponsible and frequently illegal demands of the Trump administration; to join together to speak out in defense of the values of academic freedom, scholarship and research; to protect their students and faculty from government reprisals; and to fight attacks on our institutions in the public sphere and the legal arena.

A key step in fighting the Trump admin's attacks on higher education specifically and democracy more broadly is to say as clearly as we can that we share values that are meaningful and that we will not stand by while our institutions are destroyed.

You can do that here:
bit.ly/DemocracyAndHigherEd

Having seen the power of Democracy Vouchers firsthand, I was thrilled to be invited to testify in front of the Minnesota Senate today. We need to expand this model to create a more representative, fair, and equitable democracy. #democracyvouchers

👇👇👇 see you in Boston #ESS

New podcast from me and @thomaszimmer.bsky.social

Source: www.marquette.edu/news-center/...

Great job opportunity!

It’s out!! Free downloads for the next few weeks! Get it while you can—it’s a BFD!
@rivb.bsky.social @mirya.bsky.social
@dzobrien.bsky.social
@rblaifeder.bsky.social

Excellent piece. Modern autocrats arrive at power via elections, and then gradually erode democracy until only a facade remains.

Coups provoke mass opposition and mobilization: salami tactics don’t.

If only……

This Hannah Arendt quote feels appropriate right now

"Totalitarianism in power invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty."

'He's at the Apex of Power Now': Trump's Second Term Begins 'He wants people that can disrupt alongside him'

"Musk quietly back-channeled a message to Senators, according to two sources familiar with the matter: anyone who votes against Trump’s Cabinet secretaries will face a multi-million dollar Musk-funded Super PAC to oust them from office in their next primary." time.com/7208202/trum...

BLANTS POLITICAL LESSONS FROM AMERICAN CITIES DEMOCRACY VOUCHERS AND THE PROMISE OF FAIRER ELECTIONS IN SEATTLE Jennifer A. Heerwig and Brian J. McCabe

🔥

Some popular policies that Harris didn't champion include ending the Electoral College and campaign finance reform

www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

Thanks so much, Tom!!! Hope you’re doing well and our paths cross again soon

The Newsfeed: How Democracy Vouchers can empower Seattle voters Dr. Jennifer Heerwig researches all of the city’s election cycles, and says the program has diversified donor and candidate pools.

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege and pleasure of discussing my new book on #DemocracyVouchers with Paris Jackson on @crosscut.com.web.brid.gy Cascade PBS! Luckily you can’t quite tell how nervous I was

Who said I can whistle? 😂

Done with X. Hello, world!

red white & blue campaign-style flyer, text reads: ASA Political Sociology Section Presents: White Christian Nationalism; March 6 2024, A conversation with Victoria Asbury (Harvard), Luisa Godinez-Puig (The Urban Institute), and Samuel Perry (University of Oklahoma). Organized by Jennifer S. Dudley, Jen Heerwig, Daniel Laurison, and Wendy Y. Li. For more info and to RSVP: http://tinyurl.com/election-series.

Hello sociology & political science and not-academic friends: I'm co-organizing a series of discussions on issues relating to this year's election. They're free and open to anyone interested. First one is March 6th - Register at tinyurl.com/election-series.

Excited to share the ASA Political Sociology Section 2024 Election Series! Our first talk on Mar 6 will be a dynamic and timely panel featuring Victoria Asbury, Luisa Godinez-Puig and Samuel Perry. RSVP here: tinyurl.com/election-ser...