Voting with the Las Vegas Raiders: The Impact of Allegiant Stadium as a Polling Location in 2024
Sports facilities are uniquely positioned to provide an enjoyable voting experience and strengthen civic engagement. A new report by Tova Wang, Director of Research Projects in Democratic Practice, explores the impact of stadium voting in 2024 at Allegiant Stadium, drawing widespread, bipartisan support from voters and election officials and strengthening the relationship between the Las Vegas Raiders and the surrounding community.
In the 2024 general election, Allegiant Stadium drew over 4,200 voters to cast their ballots on Election Day, demonstrating the unique position of stadium facilities to provide an enjoyable voting experience and strengthen civic engagement. Voters at Allegiant Stadium were younger and more likely to be first-time voters compared to other polling locations in Clark County, with the experience drawing widespread, bipartisan support from voters, election officials, and the Las Vegas Raiders. This report explores the benefits of stadium voting by harnessing the power of sports to shape the fan-voter experience.
Tova Wang is the Director of Research Projects in Democratic Practice at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and do not necessarily represent the positions of the Ash Center or its affiliates.
Contesting repression in divided democracies: Can counternarratives reduce support for police violence?
A new article in the American Journal of Political Science by Yanilda María González, Ford Foundation Associate Professor of Public Policy and Ash Center affiliate, and co-author, examines public attitudes towards police violence in Brazil. The authors find that while police discourse can increase public endorsement of violence, counternarratives from marginalized victims can be effective in reducing citizen support for repressive policing.
Reframing Efficiency: How Public Deliberation Strengthens Public Health Policy
In a recent essay for the American Journal of Public Health, Aditya S. Pawar, Democracy Visiting Fellow; Jon Alexander, former Non-resident Democracy Fellow; Archon Fung, Director of the Ash Center; and co-authors examine how public deliberation and representative engagement can shape more efficient and reliable public health policy.
Terms of Engagement – How to Be a Dissident in an Age of Fear
What does it take to stand up for what you believe in when your personal safety, security and even liberty are at stake? Ami Fields-Meyer, a political strategist and former senior policy advisor in the Biden-Harris White House, joins Terms of Engagement hosts Archon Fung and Stephen Richer to speak about speaking out in tumultuous times.
What Boston’s World Cup Summer Showed Us About Sports and Civic Life
Thanks to the World Cup, Boston had an unforgettable summer. In this commentary, the Ash Center’s Tova Wang and former New England Patriots executive Scott Pioli break down how the city can harness that energy to build stronger communities and transform local sports culture year-round.
Surveying Sportsmanship as a Framework for Civility
Sports may seem far removed from the challenges facing American democracy, but both rely on a shared commitment to rules, competition, and respect for opponents. As political polarization deepens, some scholars are looking beyond traditional civic institutions and asking whether the values that govern athletics can help strengthen democratic life. New research from the Ronald Reagan Center on Civility and Democracy suggests the answer may be yes.
Tova Wang, director of research projects in democratic practice at the Ash Center, shares her top picks for summer reads focused on making democracy more resilient, responsive, and inclusive.
