Why State Government Partisanship Data Matters More Than You Think

How do we measure partisan balance in state governments?

This note introduces a new publicly available dataset designed for this purpose.

Data Collection & Measurement Approaches

• Quantitative methods to capture partisanship across all US states.
• Systematic content analysis of government structures and operations.

Key Findings on State Government Dynamics

• Measurement error significantly impacts research outcomes.
• Different approaches yield inconsistent results.
• Simple measures may obscure complex political realities.

The implications for understanding state-level politics are substantial. This means that researchers must carefully consider their measurement strategies to accurately capture partisan balance.