A-State Wins Grant to Study Rural Election Practices

10/07/2025

JONESBORO - Amid declining trust in the electoral system and growing efforts to improve it, a group at Arkansas State University is studying election administration with support from a new grant the institution has secured.

The Elections Trust Initiative (ETI) awarded A-State a grant of $47,612. The organization is dedicated to improving American election administration through research. It collaborates with nonpartisan organizations to support state and local administrators in ensuring fair, transparent and secure elections.

Dr. Cameron Wimpy, associate professor of political science and chair of the Department of Government, Law and Policy, and director of the Institute for Rural Initiatives, spearheaded the process, receiving the planning grant from ETI.

"We were very honored and excited to receive this grant. Continuing to work on this topic is a long-term strategic goal for the institute," said Wimpy.

Wimpy and his team will utilize the grant by analyzing how election administration policy and practices can be improved in rural communities, as well as exploring how election administration practices vary across the urban-rural spectrum.

Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Communication, Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch, highlights the significant impact that the grant could have.

"Congratulations to Dr. Wimpy and the Institute for Rural Initiatives on receiving this impressive grant, which will significantly improve political efficacy in rural Arkansas communities," she said.

Wimpy hopes it will spark a conversation with officials that extends far past the borders of the Natural State.

"I also welcome the opportunity to deepen our relationship with both ETI and election officials in Arkansas and beyond," he added.

Jonesboro serves as an economic and business leader serving the region, allowing the team the ideal location to study the topic.

"Although Jonesboro is not particularly rural, many of the counties in the Delta and across the state are classified as very rural. Northeast Arkansas is also relatively close to deeply rural areas in neighboring states, which allows us to broaden the scope of the project without drastically impacting the cost," said Wimpy.

The long-term goals of the grant are to establish a permanent presence for the study of rural election administration as one of the ongoing projects for the Institute for Rural Initiatives.

Utilizing existing resources, the grant will support learning from other university-based elections research centers, build capacity for elections research at A-State, and host a convening of both election administrators and scholars to identify priorities for research in the field.

"A-State is an emerging research institution with national and global impact, we have long served people from rural areas across the state. This project very much continues in that tradition," he added.