Electoral systems in Scotland and Wales and the London Electoral System

Ben Seyd, University College London

The research on London is available online; the research on Scotland and Wales is in the form of a priced publication. Details can be found under the Constitution Unit's website:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/.

British Election Study Website - University of Essex

David Sanders, University of Essex
Paul Whiteley, University of Essex
Harold Clarke, University of North Texas

The new web address for the BES is www.essex.ac.uk/bes/.

Ron Johnston, University of Bristol
Charles Pattie, University of Sheffield
Danny Dorling, University of Leeds
David Rossiter,University of Bristol

Richard Rose, Editor in Chief, Centre for the Study of Public Policy, University of Strathclyde

The Encyclopedia is a unique resource for understanding the mechanics of the electoral process worldwide. Its 147 entries range from A (Absentee voting, the Administration of Elections) to T (Turnout) and W (Women's Enfranchisement). An appendix gives a systematic account of electoral procedures for legislatures and presidents in more than 150 countries.

Entries have been written by experts in ten different countries and from five continents, ranging alphabetically from Herb Alexander to Robert Worcester.

The General Editor was advised by an Editorial Board consisting of:

Joel D. Barkan, University of Iowa
Andre Blais, U. of Montreal
Walter Dean Burnham, U. of Texas
Gary W. Cox, UC- San Diego
Larry Diamond, Hoover Institution, Stanford
Richard S. Katz, Johns Hopkins U.
Arend Lijphart, UC- San Diego
Tom Mackie, U. of Strathclyde
Dieter Nohlen, U. of Heidelberg

The Encyclopedia is published by CQ Press, Washington DC, and in Europe by Macmillan/Palgrave. Details from www.cqpress.com or www.cspp.strath.ac.uk.

Congressional District Data Available

The dataset includes a wide range of economic, social and geographic information for every U.S. congressional district, from 1943-1998. The variables range from such basic information as size of each district (in square miles), the population, and the number unemployed (at the time of each census) to much more specialized information like the number of beds in Veterans' Administration/Dept. of Veterans' Affairs hospitals in the district or whether the district is coastal. Most of the data are specific to each congressional district, but occasionally I have included state-wide data where district-level information was unavailable.

Along with individual files for each congressional term, I have also included a codebook and a table describing which variables are included in which files.

For further information and access to the district data, visit socsci.colorado.edu/~esadler/districtdatawebsite/CongressionalDistric.

Scott Adler, esadler@colorado.edu
http://socsci.colorado.edu/~esadler/

Federal Elections Web Site

David Lublin, American University, dlubin@american.edu

Federal elections web site has precinct election data (all states)
matched with racial data (some states) is available at www.american.edu/academic.depts/spa/ccps/fepindex.html.

Detailed congressional district data is posted at www.american.edu/dlublin/research/data.htm.

Short courses are a great opportunity for members to enhance their knowledge about a field and to reinvigorate their teaching and research. Short courses are scheduled for the Wednesday before the Annual Meeting. A registration form with complete times, costs, and descriptions is published annually in the June PS/Preliminary Program. Members are encouraged to enroll by August 1. Examples of the topics covered in past short courses include "The Changing Ideology of Parties," "Religious Roles in Politics," "The Role of the States in National Health Reform."

A. Scheduling a Short Course at the Annual Meeting

Sections interested in sponsoring an Annual Meeting Short Course are asked to complete and return a brief application. Individuals proposing a course under Section sponsorship should discuss plans with the Section chair/officers before initiating the application process. With questions regarding development of a course please contact Kenise Lyons. To ensure inclusion in the Preliminary Program all materials should be delivered to the national office no later than March 1, 2003

B. Selecting topics and securing appropriate leaders

Course conveners are encouraged to develop courses that will not only draw members from their Section but also scholars from across subfields. Topics range widely and may involve new teaching techniques or research methodologies. Finding a topic linked to current trends in the discipline is one way to draw a large audience.

Sections should begin the process of securing course leaders or participants early. This material will be published in the Preliminary Program along with other descriptive information. It is important for Sections who sponsor short courses to have a plan in place in the event of insufficient registrations or the need to substitute a course director or other presenter.

C. Setting a registration fee, managing registration, and collecting funds

Many Sections choose to charge a registration fee to cover expenses related to the course. This may include honorarium for course conveners, handouts or publications, audio visual equipment, or refreshments. The average cost for a full-day session is between $15-$20 for faculty and $5-10 for graduate students. Half days courses are a bit less. Sections are not required to charge a fee.

A Section should select an individual to handle receipt of registrations, regardless of whether a registration fee has been set. This will allow the Section to prepare for the number of participants and assist the APSA Annual Meeting staff in selecting a proper room size for the course. The Section may designate that the APSA handle the collection of registrations. If this is the case, a $10 per enrollee administrative fee will be charged. Remaining funds will be deposited in the Section checking account.

Steps to establish an application process include naming contact persons, setting registration fees, determining the length of the course (full- or half-day), and deciding whether the course will be held at the meeting hotels or off-site.

D. Equipment and other special arrangements for Short Courses

Through agreements in place for each Annual Meeting, Short Course conveners have access to a range of audio-visual equipment, ranging from overhead projectors to white boards and TV/VCR packages. This basic equipment is available free of charge to the Section. More advanced pieces of equipment, such as computers and LCD computer projectors are not covered under the Association's general contract and the Section may be required to pay a rental charge.

E. Publicizing Short Courses

Short courses are listed in the APSA's preliminary and final programs, and full details are available on the Association's web site. Sections are encouraged to advertise their courses in newsletters, on web sites, and on electronic lists in advance of the meeting. Registration forms are available in the June issue of PS.