About the Lab
Who we are, what we study, and where our students end up.
The Democracy and Fair Elections Lab, led by USC Professor Christian Grose, is a research initiative dedicated to advancing free, fair, and accessible elections in the United States.
What We Study
The lab focuses on evidence-based quantitative analysis across four connected areas of election research.
Redistricting
We build and analyze congressional and state legislative district maps, quantifying how proposed boundaries shift partisan lean, racial composition, and incumbent advantage. Lab researchers have contributed analysis to real-world redistricting, applying academic rigor to one of the least transparent parts of American democracy.
Training the Next Generation
Each year, the lab trains a small number of exceptional undergraduate and graduate students in technical mapmaking skills, election law, and the empirical principles underlying voting rights and election law, building fluency in where theory meets practice around voter access and election administration.
Where Our Researchers Go
A sampling of the organizations, firms, and institutions our researchers and alumni have gone on to.
Thank You to Our Partners
The lab’s work is made possible by the generous support of the USC Bartling Research Fund, the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy, and the Department of Political Science and International Relations. We are housed in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and continue to support research, policy engagement, and innovation to strengthen democratic processes at the local, state, and national levels.
Get in Touch
Questions about the lab or our research? Reach out to Professor Christian Grose at cgrose@usc.edu.