About
Lynn Vavreck is the Marvin Hoffenberg Professor of American Politics and Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Rochester and has held previous academic appointments at Princeton University, Dartmouth College, and a White House position. Her research focuses on political campaigns, voting behavior, public opinion, and electoral dynamics, with notable contributions to understanding the 2012 and 2016 U.S. presidential elections. Her work The Gamble and Identity Crisis are seminal analyses of campaign strategies and identity politics. Vavreck is a contributing columnist for The Upshot at The New York Times and has advised both the American and British National Election Studies. She has been honored with the Andrew F. Carnegie Prize in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Her recent research addresses pandemic-era political behavior, vaccine communication, and the impacts of televised political advertising. She teaches courses on campaigns, elections, and the 1960s political landscape at UCLA.
Education: Ph.D. in Political Science (University of Rochester, 1997). Previous affiliations include Princeton University (faculty), Dartmouth College (faculty), and The White House (consultative role).
Research interests span electoral campaigns, the role of media in politics, voter decision-making, and the intersection of identity politics with democratic processes. Her funded projects include National Science Foundation grants exploring messaging efficacy and campaign dynamics. She is a leading voice on the evolving landscape of American democracy, particularly regarding polarization and electoral integrity.
