Contested Killings: The Mobilizing Effects of Community Contact with Police Violence

Recently, we have witnessed the politicizing effects of police killings in the United States. This project asks how such killings might (de)mobilize voters at the local level. We draw on multiple theoretical approaches to develop a theory of community contact with the police. We argue that when a highly visible event tied to government actions occurs-like a police killing-it can spur turnout. This is especially true where public narratives tie such events to government and structural causes. By comparing neighborhoods near a killing before and after election day, we estimate the causal effect on turnout. We find a mobilizing effect. These effects are larger when they trend on Google, occur in Black communities, or if the victim is Black. Proximity to a killing also increases support for abolishing the police. We conclude that police violence increases electoral participation in communities where narratives about racially unjust policing resonate most.

Automated summary

Recently, the political consequences of police killings in the United States have been observed. This study investigates how such killings can (de)mobilize voters at the local level. By utilizing various theoretical approaches, a theory of community contact with the police is developed. It is argued that highly visible events tied to government actions, such as police killings, can encourage voter turnout, particularly when public narratives link these events to government and structural causes. Through a comparison of neighborhoods near a killing before and after election day, the causal effect on voter turnout is estimated, revealing a mobilizing effect. This effect is amplified when the event trends on Google, occurs in Black communities, or involves a Black victim. Additionally, proximity to a killing also increases support for abolishing the police. The study concludes that police violence heightens electoral participation in communities where narratives about racially unjust policing are most resonant.