Acts of political violence have surged in recent years. While most attention is paid to national trends, the Brennan Center for Justice has found that officeholders serving in local and state government across the country, as well as those serving in other essential capacities such as poll workers, have faced a barrage of intimidating abuse and threats. As administration of the 2024 elections ramps up, officials are considering what steps can be taken to mitigate or de-escalate these threats.
During this webinar, researchers Garen Wintemute (University of California, Davis) and Rachel Kleinfeld (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) discussed new research that examines the public’s attitudes toward political violence and how gun owners view this topic. The panelists also discussed the implications of this new research on the upcoming election.
View Garen Wintemute's presentation here, and Rachel Kleinfeld's presentation here.
Related research and articles on this topic:
- Intimidation of State and Local Officeholders - Brennan Center for Justice research report
- A deluge of violent messages: How a surge in threats to public officials could disrupt American democracy - CNN News
- Clowns, Reverse Boycotts, and Involuntary Walkathons: How Communities are Making Political Violence Backfire - Just Security News
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