Linda M. Trautman
Education
Ph.D., The Ohio State University, 2007
Bio
Dr. Linda Trautman is a tenured Associate Professor of Political Science at Ohio University. She has taught at Ohio University since 2005. Prior to teaching at Ohio University, she was a faculty member at Wellesley College in Boston, MA. She completed her Ph.D. at The Ohio State University with a specialization in American Politics.
Her areas of expertise in American politics include national and state legislative politics, mass political behavior, public policy, and urban governance. Dr. Trautman has published works on the politics of partisan representation in American voting and the dynamics of bill sponsorship behavior in state legislatures. She also recently authored research on contemporary electoral disenfranchisement and election turnout in Much Sound and Fury or the New Jim Crow? book edited by Dr. Michael Smith.
Her current scholarship includes studying the partisan and racial impact of state election laws. In addition, she is pursuing new research about the protest activism and policy responsiveness in national party convention politics.
Dr. Trautman is an active participant in a national scholarly community dedicated to Voting Rights Scholarship, Advocacy and Justice. She has also been involved in advocacy work for social science research funding on Capitol Hill.
Research Interests
- Current Research Interests
- Redistricting and Representation
- Voting Rights
- Felony Disenfranchisement
- Electoral Participation and Mobilization
- Voter Suppression and State Election Laws
- Congressional Politics
- State Legislative Politics and Policy
Publications
Recent publications:
Trautman, Linda M., and Michael A. Smith. "Redistricting and Black Political Mobilization: Implications from the 2018 and 2022 Midterm Elections." Social Sciences 14, no. 2 (January 24, 2025): 60. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14020060.
Trautman, Linda. "The Frustrations Have Been Festering for Twelve Years: Washington, DC Mayors Sharon Pratt and Muriel Bowser." In Political Black Girl Magic: The Election and Governance of Black Female Mayors. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University, 2023.
Trautman, Linda. "Felony Disenfranchisement." Essay. In Much Sound and Fury or the New Jim Crow? The Twenty-First Century’s Restrictive New Voting Laws and Their Impact. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press, 2022.
Presentations and Awards
Professor the Year (2011)
The Effects of Party, Political Resentment upon Vote Choice (2026 WPSA)
Mid-decade Redistricting and the 2026 Midterm Elections (2026 MPSA)