BIO

My name is Matilda Varine and I am a 2nd year student here at Florida State University studying political science and economics. I grew up in Annapolis, Maryland where I first gained an interest in politics. Some of my other involvements here at Florida State include being an Institute of Politics fellow as well as membership in the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. A fun fact about me is that I am a cast member in the FSU Flying High Circus where I perform jump rope. My main research interests include the media and its influence in politics, party polarization, and elections. This research project focuses on different factors such as demographics to determine whether or not they have an influence on how individual state legislators vote on anti-protest legislation. I hope to continue enhancing my experience in research through the rest of my undergraduate career.

How Protests Affect Policy Change: Determinants of Anti-Protest Legislation

Abstract

In the last few years, states across the United States have seen an uptick in legislation restricting the right to assemble, including protests blocking traffic, protests near critical infrastructure, easing penalties for actions against protesters, and other ways that restrict protests. For this project, our research team has analyzed the different factors that contribute to these laws, including the motives and reasonings for why these bills are sponsored and voted on. We will have a better understanding on how an individual legislator’s background, constituency, and party affects their way of voting. We first collected and organized roll call votes on Microsoft Excel regarding all anti-protest bills passed in all state legislatures since 2017; the team then collected information on each state legislator, including political affiliation, demographic background, and other components that allow us to find patterns in voting. Although results are preliminary, factors indicate heavy partisan influence. Exploring these aspects is crucial for understanding how partisan politics can influence constitutionally divisive issues.

Keywords: politics, protest, legislative