Jonathan Cervas

Jonathan Cervas is an Assistant Teaching Professor at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), specializing in American political institutions, redistricting, and voting rights. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Irvine, where his research focused on quantitative assessments of the Electoral College and vote dilution mechanisms. His work integrates statistical modeling and legal analysis to address structural inequalities in democratic processes.

Education:

• PhD in Political Science, University of California, Irvine (2020)
• Dissertation: A Quantitative Assessment of the Electoral College, 1790–2020

Research Interests:

Dr. Cervas examines electoral systems, partisan gerrymandering, voting rights litigation, and the intersection of political geography with institutional design. His research emphasizes data-driven solutions to ensure fair representation and mitigate vote dilution. Key themes include redistricting methodologies, judicial responses to gerrymandering, and the role of state courts in electoral reforms.

Professional Contributions:

• 2021: Redistricting consultant for Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission
• 2022: Special Master for New York State Supreme Court’s congressional/state senate redistricting
• 2024: Consultant for Wisconsin Supreme Court in legislative redistricting litigation
• Advisory roles in landmark cases: Navajo Nation v. San Juan County, Bethune-Hill v. Virginia, and Wright v. Sumter County

Teaching: Courses on American government, political representation, and electoral systems at CMU’s Institute for Strategy & Technology (CMIST).

Lab/Team Affiliations: Core faculty at CMIST, interdisciplinary collaborations with Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science and CyLab on technology’s role in governance.