What Do Politicians Think Motivates Voters?

What Do Politicians Think Motivates Voters?

Author: University of Chicago Podcast Network January 1, 2026 Duration: 55:20
Do politicians really understand what drives voters—or are they relying on flawed assumptions that could shape democracy in troubling ways? As we take some time off for the holidays, we wanted to re-share our episode with University of Calgary political scientist Jack Lucas, whose paper “Politicians’ Theories of Voting Behavior,” reveals striking gaps between how politicians perceive voters and how voters see themselves. While politicians often hold a cynical, “democratic realist” view of voters, citizens are far more optimistic about their own behavior. But who’s right—and does it even matter?

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant churn of political news, where hot takes often replace deeper understanding. Not Another Politics Podcast cuts through that noise by grounding current events in the tools of political science. Hosted by Harris School of Public Policy professors William Howell, Anthony Fowler, and Wioletta Dziuda, this conversation from the University of Chicago Podcast Network moves past opinion and anecdote. Instead, each episode applies rigorous scholarship, analysis of large data sets, and foundational theory to the day’s biggest stories. What you’ll hear is a thoughtful examination of the mechanisms, institutions, and voter behaviors that actually drive outcomes, offering clarity where there is typically confusion. This isn’t a reactionary debate show; it’s a space where academic insight meets practical politics, giving you a more durable framework for understanding power, policy, and elections. Tune in for a genuinely fresh perspective that prioritizes evidence over echo chambers, making this podcast a resource for anyone who wants to move beyond the headlines and understand the why behind the news.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Not Another Politics Podcast
Podcast Episodes
How To "Get Out The Vote" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:02
Hello Not Another Politics Podcast listeners. We’re taking some much needed time off as the school year comes to a close; but with the elections right around the corner we still wanted to share some incredibly relevant a…
How Powerful Are October Surprises? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:25
Hello Not Another Politics Podcast listeners. We’re taking some much needed time off as the school year comes to a close; but with the elections right around the corner we still wanted to share some incredibly relevant a…
How Good Are We At Spotting Fake News? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:26
If the media is to be believed, the US public has a tenuous at best grasp on accurate political news. They’re either consuming disinformation and fake news on social media or following biasedly inaccurate news outlets. E…
Is Partisan Animosity Directed At Fellow Citizens Or Elites? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:10
There is a fact of our political discourse so agreed upon that nobody thinks to question it: affective polarization…democrats and republicans disliking each other...has been getting worse, much worse. But what if that be…
Should Policy Match Voters' Preferences? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:55
How do we know if our democracy is healthy? For political scientist, the answer often comes down to things we can measure like responsiveness to voter’s wishes. But is that really the right thing to measure? There are tw…
Are Too Many Political Appointments Harming Our Bureaucracy? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:42
When it comes to our federal bureaucracy, there are two schools of thought. One says that an insulated group of career bureaucrats have created a deep state that corrupts the performance of government. The other says tha…
Should Judges Be Elected or Appointed? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:53
There is a long running debate in political science: do we get better judges by letting the public vote in elections or by giving our leaders the power to appoint them? One side says that judges should be insulated from…
Why Women Are Underrepresented in U.S. Politics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:18
Despite making up roughly half of the U.S. population, women only make up about one-quarter of representatives and senators. And this trend is not just national—it holds true globally as well. What explains why women are…
What Makes A Legislator Effective? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:10
When it comes to passing actual legislation, putting it forward and getting it all the way through the process, it can be difficult to measure exactly which legislators are effective. Not to mention which types of legisl…