I Know What You Did Last Summer: The Ballot Initiative and Voter Turnout

“Know Thy Neighbor,” a public interest group established in 2005, has grabbed headlines in recent years for making public (or threatening to make public) the names of hundreds of thousands of registered voters who signed petitions qualifying anti-gay rights measures for state general election ballots in Massachusetts, Florida, Arkansas, Oregon, and Washington. These names, together with the mailing addresses, birthdates, and dates of signature for each signer, have long been public information in most states, but never before have they been put into a format (i.e., searchable, online databases) making them easy to access and analyze. In this pilot project, I perform multivariate analysis on a random sample of 500 registered Arkansas voters to determine the relative role of petition signing (versus vote history and age) in spurring voter turnout. This unique dataset allows an analysis, at the level of the individual voter, of the effectiveness of a relatively new tactic in American politics: using ballot measures to stimulate turnout for up-ticket candidate races. In the current study, while there was a correlation between petition signing and voter turnout, at the level of multivariate analysis, petition signing did not appear to be associated with voter turnout. However, individuals who signed petitions tended to have strong voting histories and were more likely than non-signers to cast ballots in the 2008 general election. The results of this research add to the already robust literature analyzing voter turnout in US political elections

Early ontogenetic male cone production in Pinus radiata : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Plant Biology at Massey University

The tree breeding industry is interested in early ontogenetic male cone production in Pinus radiata in order to maximise the rate at which successive generations can be bred. The foundation of this thesis was a study of how male cone production differed in various contrasting regions around New Zealand. A study was then carried out to assess whether various morphological and anatomical characteristics of trees were correlated with the onset of male cone production. Various treatments including stress, plant growth regulator application and grafting were examined to determine whether any of these could be used to promote early ontogenetic male cone production. The regional study found that male cone production commenced at age 3 in Nelson, at age 4 in Northern and Southern Kinleith, and age 6 in Karioi and Northland. Findings suggest that high sunshine hours and low autumn and/or winter temperatures are of significance to the precocity of male cone production. A tentative logistic model was developed that may adequately describe cone production across all regions. Morphological and anatomical characteristics of trees were used to develop a model which predicts the probability that a tree will not be producing male cones. Relative cell number was found to provide the greatest ability to predict whether or not a given tree will be producing male cones, supporting the hypothesis that a certain number of cell divisions are required before male cone production commences. Grafting did not promote male cone production in the present study. It is recommended that future grafting experiments for the purposes of promoting male cone production should reconsider the position within the crown at which grafts are made. Male cone production on fascicle cuttings approximately two years old was promoted by growing them under stress in small pots, with minimal watering and no fertiliser application. It is suggested that a "stress" pathway, distinct from the "normal" male cone production pathway is probably involved. Male cone promotion in fascicle cuttings appears to be enhanced through the application of ABA, but not other plant growth regulators. Additionally, male cone production in fascicle cuttings appears to be enhanced by providing relatively high levels of light. The outcomes of this study suggest that a lack of male cone production in young trees may not be the most serious impediment to the breeding program. Instead, the onus may be on the ability to make superior selections at a younger age than occurs at present

Through the Eye of a Needle: The Challenge of Providing Employment Services in New York's Chinatown Post September 11th

Prepared for the US Department of Labor, this P/PV report evaluates the effectiveness of the National Emergency Grant (NEG) money awarded to organizations in Chinatown in the wake of September 11th. Through interviews with program staff and key informants, P/PV examines the outcomes achieved by individual grantees, assesses the effect of the NEG on overall service provision and provides recommendations about how the Chinatown NEG could be adjusted to respond to similar situations in the future

Working Dads: Final Report on the Fathers at Work Initiative

Noncustodial fathers have an essential role to play -- both financially and emotionally -- in the lives of their children. However, of the 11 million noncustodial fathers in the US, two thirds do not pay any formal child support. Many of these fathers are poor themselves and face multiple barriers, including low education levels, limited work experience, and criminal records, which impede their success in the labor market as well as their ability to provide for their children.Working Dads: Final Report on the Fathers at Work Initiative presents findings from P/PV's evaluation of Fathers at Work, a national demonstration funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, designed to help low-income noncustodial fathers increase their employment and earnings, become more involved in their children's lives, and provide them with more consistent financial support. The Fathers at Work programs offered a unique combination of job training and placement, child support and fatherhood services at six well-established community-based organizations in Chicago, IL; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Richmond, CA; and Roanoke, VA. Our findings suggest that the programs produced important benefits for participants, including increased earnings and child support payment. The report details the specific strategies Fathers at Work programs used and explores the policy implications of this research

Girls Club: The Gender Imbalance of Youth Programs, a Case Study

Youth around the world have proven that when they come together and put their energies toward a cause, impactful change can happen. While youth in the US have been involved in social issues for decades, there is a noticeable imbalance in the gender makeup of these groups: In civic engagement programs, social change organizations, and volunteer programs around the country, young women make up the large majority of those involved, creating a gender gap that cannot be ignored. It begs the question- why are so many more females involved in these programs than young men? What is causing this? This question is examined using the Vermont Governor’s Institute on Current Issues and Youth Activism (GICIYA) as a case study. Using qualitative research methods, GICIYA participants from the 2010 program were asked about their motivations behind being involved in youth activism, their observations of the gender imbalance in GICIYA, and their ideas on how to address this gap. Their insightful input is used to draw conclusions regarding why more young women and less young men are involved in civic engagement, social issues, and youth activism and what can be done to address the issue. As this case study focuses on a very specific population, suggestions for further research are made