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Why Do Governors Issue Vetoes? The Impact of Individual and Institutional Influences

Indiana State University, cklarner{at}indstate.edu

Andrew Karch

University of Texas at Austin, akarch{at}mail.utexas.edu

Studies of presidential veto use advance two competing theoretical perspectives: the "president-centered" approach and the "presidency-centered" approach. We assess the applicability of these approaches to gubernatorial veto activity. Our analysis of forty-eight states between 1971 and 2002 provides strong support for the institutional perspective and less support for the individual perspective. The governor's formal powers, the partisan alignment of the legislature, and the electoral cycle all contribute to veto activity. The results suggest that conflict between the legislature and the governor is a product of systematic forces and that governors who face similar institutional constraints will behave in similar ways.

Key Words: legislative-executive relations • state politics • governors • vetoes • divided government • formal powers • electoral cycle

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This version was published on December 1, 2008

Political Research Quarterly, Vol. 61, No. 4, 574-584 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1065912908314200


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This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Klarner, C. E. Articles by Karch, A. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?