Pandemic Politics: Covid-19 and the 2020 US Electoral Cycle

Launched in June 2021 by The Covid-19 and Democracy Project, the briefing paper  ‘Pandemic Politics: Covid-19 and the 2020 US Electoral Cycle’ hit 10,000 website downloads in February 2023.

It is written by Dr Peter Finn, Madison Imiola, and Dr Robert Ledger, featuring a foreword by Professor Alison Baverstock.

This brief examines the intersection between the Covid-19 pandemic and US electoral processes during the 2020 electoral cycle.

Four interrelated policy themes emerge from the consideration of the intersection between the Covid-19 pandemic and US electoral processes in 2020: a need to reflect on election administration, the place of mail-in voting, the continued importance of lawsuits, and access to voting.

Related Audio Outputs:

There is audio version of the brief available below:

There is a recording of the event ‘The 2020 US Election and Covid-19: One Year On’ available below:

Related Written Outputs:

• Peter Finn wrote a comment piece for the Kingston University website based on the briefing paper, which you can find here
• Peter Finn, Madison Imiola, and Robert Ledger wrote a piece entitled ‘The 2020 election can’t be understood without considering the role of the COVID-19 pandemic‘
• Peter Finn, Madison Imiola, and Robert Ledger wrote a piece entitled ‘Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic ensured that he lost, rather than was defeated in, the 2020 election‘
• Peter Finn, Madison Imiola, and Robert Ledger wrote a piece entitled ‘COVID-19 will have a lasting impact on the future of US elections‘
• Peter Finn and Robert Ledger wrote a piece entitled ‘Taking stock following a historic year for American politics and society‘
• Peter Finn and Robert Ledger wrote a piece entitled ‘COVID-19, inequality, gendered politics and a likely Biden victory‘
• Peter Finn wrote a piece entitled ‘After months of downplaying COVID-19 before catching it, Trump is still likely facing electoral defeat‘
• Peter Finn wrote a piece entitled ‘The 2020 Democratic convention showed unusual unity, though ideological divisions remain‘
• Peter Finn and Robert Ledger wrote a piece entitled ‘The Covid-19 crisis will disrupt the 2020 presidential election, but it won’t be suspended‘
• Peter Finn and Robert Ledger wrote Chapter 8, titled ‘Towards 24: Shifts in the US election system, 2022-2024’, in ‘Exploring the 2022 US Midterms‘. In part, this chapter explores the continued impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on US elections. ‘Exploring the 2022 US Midterms‘, published in February 2023, is an output of the American Politics Group of the Political Studies Association and can be downloaded below: