Barry Burden

Photo courtesy of Jeff Miller, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Barry Burden is Professor of Political Science, Director of the Elections Research Center, and the Lyons Family Chair in Electoral Politics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Burden's research and teaching focus on U.S. elections, public opinion, representation, and the U.S. Congress. His recent research examines aspects of election administration and voter participation.

He is the author of Personal Roots of Representation, co-editor with Charles Stewart of The Measure of American Elections, co-author with David Kimball of Why Americans Split Their Tickets, and editor of Uncertainty in American Politics. Burden has published articles in journals such as the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, British Journal of Political Science, Public Opinion Quarterly, Legislative Studies Quarterly, and Election Law Journal.

Burden earned his Ph.D. at The Ohio State University and was a faculty member at Harvard University before joining UW-Madison in 2006. He is affiliated with the La Follette School of Public Affairs, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and the Center for Demography of Health and Aging. At UW-Madison he is involved with First-Generation Badgers and BadgersVote. He has been an expert witness in multiple court cases and legislative hearings concerning changes to election laws and practices. 


Photo courtesy of Bryce Richter, University of Wisconsin-Madison