Bernard L. Fraga is an associate professor of political science faculty coordinator of the Latinx Studies Initiative at Emory University. He received his B.A. from Stanford University in 2008 and Ph.D. in Government and Social Policy from Harvard University in 2013.  

Dr. Fraga studies American elections, focusing on racial/ethnic politics, voter turnout, and the impact of election laws on voters and politicians. His award-winning book The Turnout Gap: Race, Ethnicity, and Political Inequality in a Diversifying America (Cambridge University Press, 2018) provides a comprehensive analysis of race and voter turnout, examining White, Black, Latinx, and Asian American turnout and voting patterns from the 1800s to the present. The Turnout Gap documents large and persistent racial/ethnic differences in participation and explains the causes and consequences of these disparities. Dr. Fraga’s research has also been published in academic journals including the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, the British Journal of Political Science, Political Behavior, Electoral Studies, Political Research Quarterly, Politics, Groups, and Identities, and the Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics. Findings from his work have been featured in various media outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, National Public Radio, and The Economist. 

Dr. Fraga is the recipient of awards including the APSA Section on Elections, Public Opinion, and Voting Behavior Emerging Scholar award, the APSA Section on Race, Ethnicity, and Politics Best Book Award, the MPSA Lucius Barker Award, and the MPSA Latina/o Caucus Early Career Award. Dr. Fraga’s research has also been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Social Science Research Council, the Mellon Foundation, and various academic institutions. He has also served as an expert witness on multiple cases dealing with elections and voting rights, and regularly advises organizations dedicated to enhancing the civic and electoral engagement of all Americans.