Barry C. Burden

Barry C. Burden serves as the Lyons Family Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he also directs the Elections Research Center. His academic affiliations extend across multiple campus units including the La Follette School of Public Affairs, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and the Center for Demography of Health and Aging. Burden previously taught at Harvard University before joining UW-Madison in 2006.

Burden's research focuses on U.S. elections, political parties, public opinion, representation, and the U.S. Congress. His scholarly interests particularly emphasize election administration and voter participation, examining how electoral systems impact democratic engagement. He has published extensively in top political science journals including the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, and Legislative Studies Quarterly.

His publications reveal a consistent focus on electoral behavior and representation, with particular attention to voting patterns, election administration, and congressional representation. Burden has co-authored the seminal textbook Party Politics in America (now in its 19th edition) and has served as an expert witness in multiple court cases concerning election laws and practices.

• Political Research Quarterly's Top 20 Outstanding Reviewers of 2017
• Vilas Associate Award (multiple years)
• Jewell-Loewenberg Prize for best article in Legislative Studies Quarterly (2014)
• Robert H. Durr Award for best paper applying quantitative methods (2013)

Burden actively engages with students through courses on American political parties, elections, and voting behavior. He contributes to civic initiatives including First-Generation Badgers and BadgersVote, demonstrating his commitment to translating academic research into practical civic engagement. His work bridges academic scholarship with real-world electoral administration concerns.