David Magleby
Encyclopedia
David Blyth Magleby is a professor of political science at Brigham Young University
(BYU) and currently the dean of the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences at that institution. He is an expert on direct democracy
and campaign finance
.
Magleby is the author of several books. His first, Direct Legislation, is considered the seminal work on initiatives and referenda. Among other works Magleby has written is Financing the 2000 Election. He has also written several works on issues related to soft money in campaigns. In 1990, he served on a bipartisan Senate
task force
on campaign finance reform
and his book on the subject, The Money Chase, was published by the Brookings Institution
. In addition, Magleby authors a best-selling American government textbook, Government by the People, which is currently in its 23rd edition.
Prior to joining the faculty of BYU, Magleby was a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz
and the University of Virginia
. Magleby received his bachelors degree from the University of Utah
and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley
.
At BYU, Magleby has served as dean, department chair, and founding director of the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy (CSED). He also established the KBYU/Utah Colleges exit poll. Every election year, the poll mobilizes several hundred college students from Utah college campuses to gather data about Utah voters and elections. BYU students design the survey and sample. On Election Night, Magleby hosts a television program where students present the results of the poll.
Magleby is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). As such, his comments have been sought on Mormon political issues, such as gay marriage and Mitt Romney
's presidential campaign
. He has also contributed articles on politics to the Encyclopedia of Mormonism
and the Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History. Despite the Republican image of his LDS faith and home state of Utah, Magleby is a Democrat
. Magleby is known for a profile he developed of the ideal Mormon Democrat, in what has been called the "Magleby profile."
David Magleby is married to Linda Waters Magleby, and they have four children. He resides in Provo, Utah.
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(BYU) and currently the dean of the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences at that institution. He is an expert on direct democracy
Direct democracy
Direct democracy is a form of government in which people vote on policy initiatives directly, as opposed to a representative democracy in which people vote for representatives who then vote on policy initiatives. Direct democracy is classically termed "pure democracy"...
and campaign finance
Campaign finance
Campaign finance refers to all funds that are raised and spent in order to promote candidates, parties or policies in some sort of electoral contest. In modern democracies such funds are not necessarily devoted to election campaigns. Issue campaigns in referendums, party activities and party...
.
Magleby is the author of several books. His first, Direct Legislation, is considered the seminal work on initiatives and referenda. Among other works Magleby has written is Financing the 2000 Election. He has also written several works on issues related to soft money in campaigns. In 1990, he served on a bipartisan Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
task force
Task force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
on campaign finance reform
Campaign finance reform
Campaign finance reform is the common term for the political effort in the United States to change the involvement of money in politics, primarily in political campaigns....
and his book on the subject, The Money Chase, was published by the Brookings Institution
Brookings Institution
The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C., in the United States. One of Washington's oldest think tanks, Brookings conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics, metropolitan policy, governance, foreign policy, and...
. In addition, Magleby authors a best-selling American government textbook, Government by the People, which is currently in its 23rd edition.
Prior to joining the faculty of BYU, Magleby was a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
and the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
. Magleby received his bachelors degree from the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
At BYU, Magleby has served as dean, department chair, and founding director of the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy (CSED). He also established the KBYU/Utah Colleges exit poll. Every election year, the poll mobilizes several hundred college students from Utah college campuses to gather data about Utah voters and elections. BYU students design the survey and sample. On Election Night, Magleby hosts a television program where students present the results of the poll.
Magleby is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). As such, his comments have been sought on Mormon political issues, such as gay marriage and Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
's presidential campaign
Mitt Romney presidential campaign, 2008
Mitt Romney was a Republican Party primary candidate in the 2008 United States presidential election. On January 3, 2007, two days before he stepped down as governor of Massachusetts, Romney filed to form a presidential exploratory committee with the Federal Election Commission...
. He has also contributed articles on politics to the Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Encyclopedia of Mormonism
The Encyclopedia of Mormonism is a semi-official encyclopedia for topics relevant to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
and the Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History. Despite the Republican image of his LDS faith and home state of Utah, Magleby is a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. Magleby is known for a profile he developed of the ideal Mormon Democrat, in what has been called the "Magleby profile."
David Magleby is married to Linda Waters Magleby, and they have four children. He resides in Provo, Utah.
Sources
External links
- Magleby's vita
- Magleby's profile at BYU's Center for Study of Elections and Democracy