Maxwell Palmer

Associate Professor of Political Science, Boston University

I study American political institutions, focusing on Congress, electoral institutions, and local government. My research examines how institutional arrangements and rules impact representation and policy outcomes. I also work as a consultant and expert witness on questions about voting rights, redistricting, and representation.

I am currently the Associate Chair of the Department of Political Science, a Civic Tech Fellow in the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences, and a Faculty Fellow at the Initiative on Cities.

CV

  • “Descended from Immigrants and Revolutionists: How Family Immigration History Shapes Legislative Behavior in Congress” (with James Feigenbaum and Benjamin Schneer). Conditionally Accepted at Quarterly Journal of Economics.
  • “Durable Partisan Gerrymanders Can Enable Permanent Majorities and Threaten Democracy” (with Benjamin Schneer). Working Paper.
  • “Built Infrastructure Federalism: Local Barriers to Climate Policy” (with Katherine Levine Einstein and David M. Glick). Working Paper.
  • “When are Mayors Polarized?” (with Katherine Levine Einstein and David M. Glick). Working Paper.
  • “The Gray Vote: How Older Home-Owning Voters Dominate Local Elections” (with Katherine Levine Einstein, Ellis, and Ethan Singer). Working Paper.
  • Bethune-Hill v. Virginia (3:14-cv-00852-REP-AWA-BMK), U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Prepared expert reports and testified on racial predominance and racially polarized voting in selected districts of the 2011 Virginia House of Delegates map. (2017)
  • Thomas v. Bryant (3:18-CV-441-CWR-FKB), U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. Prepared expert reports and testified on racially polarized voting in a district of the 2012 Mississippi State Senate map. (2018–2019)
  • Chestnut v. Merrill (2:18-cv-00907-KOB), U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Prepared expert reports and testified on racially polarized voting in selected districts of the 2011 Alabama congressional district map. (2019)
  • Dwight v. Raffensperger (No. 1:18-cv-2869-RWS), U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Prepared expert reports and testified on racially polarized voting in selected districts of the 2011 Georgia congressional district map. (2019)
  • Bruni, et al. v. Hughs (No. 5:20-cv-35), U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Prepared expert reports and testified on the use of straight-ticket voting by race and racially polarized voting in Texas. (2020)
  • Caster v. Merrill (No. 2:21-cv-1536-AMM), U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Prepared expert report and testified on racially polarized voting in selected districts of the 2021 Alabama congressional district map. (2022)
  • Pendergrass v. Raffensperger (1:21-CV-05339-SCJ), U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Prepared expert reports and testified on racially polarized voting in selected districts of the 2021 Georgia congressional district map. (2022)
  • Grant v. Raffensperger (1:22-CV-00122-SCJ), U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Prepared expert reports and testified on racially polarized voting in selected districts of the 2021 Georgia state legislative district maps. (2022)
  • Galmon, et al. v. Ardoin (3:22-cv-00214-SDD-SDJ), U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana. Prepared expert reports and testified on racially polarized voting for the 2021 Louisiana congressional district map. (2022)
  • United States v. Robert Bowers (2:18-cr-00292-DWA), U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Prepared expert reports on the demographics of the voter registriation list and composition of the master jury wheel. (2020–2023)
  • Agee, et al. v. Benson, et al. (1:22-CV-00272-PLM-RMK-JTN), U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan. Prepared expert report and testified on racially polarized voting and racial predominance in the Michigan House and Senate maps adopted by the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission. (2023)
  • In Re: Georgia Senate Bill 202 (1:12-MI-55555-JPB), U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Prepared expert report and testified on demographics and racially polarized voting in Georgia. (2023)
  • Vet Voice Foundation, et al., v. Hobbs, et al. (No. 22-2-19384-1 SEA), King County Superior Court, Washington. Prepared expert reports and testified on ballots rejected for non-matching signatures in Washington. (2023)
  • Vet Voice Foundation, et al., v. Griswold (No. 2022CV033456), District Court, City and County of Denver, State of Colorado. Prepared expert reports and testified on ballots rejected for non-matching signatures in Colorado. (2023)
  • Williams, et. al., v. Hall (1:23-CV-01057-TDS-JLW), U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. Prepared expert report on racially polarized voting and effects of 2023 Congressional redistricting in North Carolina. (2024)
  • California Alliance for Retired Americans et al. v. Weber (No. 24STCP02062), Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of Los Angeles. Prepared declaration in support of plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction. (2024)
  • “Brief Of Political Science Professors As Amici Curiae In Support Of Appellees,” in the case of Alexander vs. South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP, in the Supreme Court of the United States (No. 22-807). (with Stephen Ansolabehere, Bruce E. Cain, James M. Snyder, Jr., and Charles Stewart III)
  • Racially Polarized Voting Consultant, Virginia Redistricting Commission, August 2021.
  • The General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Joint Committee on Housing, Hearing on Housing Production Legislation. May 14, 2019. Testified on the role of public meetings in housing production.