2025/12/31 by Christopher A. Cooper, Shaun Adams, Tiffany Anderson +9 · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #Innovative Teaching Methodologies in Social Sciences #Service-Learning and Community Engagement #Indigenous and Place-Based Education
paper · doi:10.1177/15236803251392737
openalex publication_date 2025/12/31 · openalex created_date 2025/12/31 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
In this paper, we leverage insights from an MPA class in election administration at a mid-sized university to learn more about the practice of election administration as public administration in a crisis. Students interviewed election administrators in areas affected by Hurricane Helene. Substantively, the results demonstrate that election administrators are critical to a well-functioning democracy and can help mitigate problems introduced by disasters. In terms of curriculum design, the paper demonstrates that election administration courses have a great deal to offer MPA students and public affairs education. From a course design perspective, the success of the assignment and the insights gained about election administration as public administration shows the value of using place-based assignments to aide student learning in public administration courses.