Ellen Seljan

Ellen Seljan is a Professor of Political Science at Lewis & Clark College, affiliated with the College of Arts & Sciences. Her research focuses on state and local politics, particularly fiscal institutions like tax policies and election administration. She holds a PhD from the University of California, San Diego (2010) and a BA from Drew University (2004).

Her teaching includes courses on American politics, public policy, and data science. Recent courses include POLS 307: Contemporary Policy Problems and POLS 350: Congressional Politics, emphasizing interdisciplinary analysis of urgent policy issues and legislative dynamics.

Research interests span tax and expenditure limits (TELs), campaign finance enforcement, and automatic voter registration laws. Her work examines how fiscal constraints and electoral reforms impact governance and public accountability.

Publications consistently address topics like voter registration laws, campaign finance violations, and state fiscal policies. Her scholarship bridges theoretical frameworks with practical policy analysis, offering insights into governance challenges at subnational levels.