Debra Horner

Debra Horner is on staff with the Ford School's Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) where she is a project manager on the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) program. She has been a regular lecturer in U-M's Political Science Department for over a decade and also teaches a course on Michigan politics and policy at the Ford School. Horner's primary areas of research focus on individuals' political attitudes and political participation, as well as policymaking at the state and local levels in Michigan. She received her undergraduate degree from Duke University and her doctorate in political science from the University of Michigan in 2007.

News
Michigan local government leaders’ assessments of fiscal health remain unchanged despite federal initiatives
Feb 16, 2024
Despite significant opportunities for infusions of federal funding over the past two years, Michigan local officials report little change in the fiscal health of their local governments and feel concerned about their governments’ long-term financial...
News
Ford school faculty available to weigh in on 2024 elections
Jan 28, 2024
The University of Michigan has published an experts guide to the 2024 elections. Ford School faculty are available to offer insights on relevant issues impacting the elections, including the following: Economics Betsey Stevenson, professor of...
State & Hill
Discourse: Fordies in the news, fall 2023
Dec 12, 2023
“Rather than a single terrorist attack, this was a complex operation that involved commando teams and rocket attacks against multiple targets. The fact that Israel appears to have lacked advance warning is surprising, given Israel’s excellence in...
News
Michigan local government leaders’ assessments of democratic functioning improve from 2021 low, but first signs of trouble at local level emerge
Dec 11, 2023
Michigan local leaders’ assessments of democracy at the national level have improved marginally for two years in a row after a sharp decline in 2021, largely due to fewer local officials rating American democracy as poorly functioning. Similarly,...
News
Challenges continue for state-local relations, according to Michigan local government leaders
Nov 10, 2023
Over half of Michigan local officials currently rate their jurisdiction’s overall relationship with the State government as just fair or even poor, while 34% of local officials say it is either good or excellent. It is an important relationship...

In the Media
Leiser on the far-right shift in the Ottawa County government
Oct 5, 2023 MLive
“It’s almost as if instead of leading with, ‘OK, what’s our job in this jurisdiction in this county? What services do we provide?’ – and then sort of taking the cues from citizens and policy from there – it’s like a flipped script,” said Stephanie...
In the Media
Ivacko on trust in local government
Sep 6, 2023 Democrat & Chronicle
Tom Ivacko, Democrat & Chronicle: Political scandals have long contributed to declining trust in all levels of government, stretching back to the days of Watergate, said Tom Ivacko, who heads the Center for Local, State and Urban Policy at the...
In the Media
Horner analyzes use of social media by local governments
Apr 9, 2023 Daily Telegram
Debra Horner, The Daily Telegram: "Back in 2012, only about 18 percent of local officials told us their governments used social media (including 48 percent of jurisdictions with more than 30,000 residents). In 2021, that was up to 29 percent...
In the Media
Leiser makes case for Financial Data Transparency Act
Mar 28, 2023 Accounting Today
Stephanie Leiser, Accounting Today: "There's an enormous amount of municipal government financial data locked up in PDF documents. Unlocking that data has the potential to radically improve transparency and dramatically enhance our ability to...
In the Media
Ivacko reveals factors behind threats to local officials
Mar 24, 2023 Wisconsin Public Radio
Tom Ivacko, Wisconsin Public Radio: "There's been a very concerted, ongoing effort with very strong media behind it to convince people that there are enemies in the public sector, undercutting their own democracy and working against the interests of...

Challenges of Leading in Crisis with Lori Lightfoot

Feb 5, 2024, 4:00 pm EST
Joan and Sanford Weill Hall Annenberg Auditorium (1120)
The Honorable Lori Lightfoot, 56th mayor of Chicago, reflects on her background and preparation for public service, the challenges she faced as mayor, and lessons about leading in crises, in conversation with Ford School Dean Celeste Watkins-Hayes.
Watch live from this page
University of Michigan Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium
MLK Day lecture - Montgomery, AL, Mayor Steven Reed

Jan 16, 2024, 4:30 pm EST
Joan and Sanford Weill Hall, Annenberg Auditorium (Room 1120)
The Ford School will welcome Montgomery, AL, Mayor Steven Reed to Weill Hall for an event on Tuesday, Jan. 16, in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
CLOSUP Lecture Series
Rural Resilience: Stories of Hope and Innovation

Nov 15, 2023, 6:00-7:00 pm EST
Weill Hall, Betty Ford Classroom 1110
Join us for an intimate conversation between two leading voices for rural prosperity as they share experiences visiting rural communities across the country, and highlight inspiring stories from within the state of Michigan.
CLOSUP Lecture Series
Mayors Forum

Nov 13, 2023, 6:00-7:00 pm EST
Art & Architecture Building Auditorium (Room 2104)
Join this virtual mayors panel via livestream or in person at the Watch Party hosted at the University of Michigan's Taubman College. This annual event brings together mayors from cities across the states of the Big Ten in a conversation around timely topics of national importance that manifest at the municipal level.
Watch live from this page
CLOSUP Lecture Series
GovFin 2023: Empowering Governments, Modernizing Reporting

Nov 9, 2023, 8:45 am-6:00 pm EST
1801 K Street NW Washington DC
Check out the GovFin 2023 Conference in Washington DC on Empowering Governments, Modernizing Reporting on November 9, 2023. https://xbrl.us/events/govfin23/

Lori Lightfoot: Challenges of Leading in Crisis
Feb 5, 2024 1:32:07

The Honorable Lori Lightfoot, the 56th mayor of Chicago, reflects on her background and preparation for public service, the challenges she faced as mayor, and lessons about leading in crises. February, 2024.
MLK Day lecture - Montgomery, AL, Mayor Steven Reed
Jan 16, 2024 1:09:14

The Ford School welcomes Montgomery, AL, Mayor Steven Reed to Weill Hall for an event in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. January, 2024.
Sarah Lucas and Tony Pipa - Rural Resilience: Stories of Hope and Innovation
Nov 15, 2023 1:01:00

Two leading voices for rural prosperity: Tony Pipa (Scholar, Center for Sustainable Development, Brookings Institution, and Host, Reimagine Rural Podcast), share his experiences visiting rural communities across the country, and Sarah Lucas (Direc
CLOSUP Mayors Forum
Nov 13, 2023 1:00:06

The 2023 Mayors Forum will focus on topics particular to Big Ten college cities including development of infrastructure that promotes social cohesion, challenges and opportunities of creating an infrastructure for urban technology, and campus and
Redistricting Panel: Approved, and now voted on
Nov 30, 2022 1:30:51

In a final webinar in our redistricting series, a panel looks back on Michigan's new approach to redistricting by an independent citizens commission. November, 2022.

Debra Horner

PUBPOL 475.303: Topics: Michigan Politics and Policies

PUBPOL 750.303: Topics: Michigan Politics and Policies

PUBPOL 475.306: Topics:Michigan Politics & Policy

PUBPOL 578: Applied Policy Seminar

News

Michigan local government leaders’ assessments of fiscal health remain unchanged despite federal initiatives

Ford school faculty available to weigh in on 2024 elections

Discourse: Fordies in the news, fall 2023

Michigan local government leaders’ assessments of democratic functioning improve from 2021 low, but first signs of trouble at local level emerge

Challenges continue for state-local relations, according to Michigan local government leaders

In the Media

Leiser on the far-right shift in the Ottawa County government

Ivacko on trust in local government

Horner analyzes use of social media by local governments

Leiser makes case for Financial Data Transparency Act

Ivacko reveals factors behind threats to local officials

Events

Challenges of Leading in Crisis with Lori Lightfoot

MLK Day lecture - Montgomery, AL, Mayor Steven Reed

Rural Resilience: Stories of Hope and Innovation

Mayors Forum

GovFin 2023: Empowering Governments, Modernizing Reporting

Videos

Lori Lightfoot: Challenges of Leading in Crisis

MLK Day lecture - Montgomery, AL, Mayor Steven Reed

Sarah Lucas and Tony Pipa - Rural Resilience: Stories of Hope and Innovation

CLOSUP Mayors Forum

Redistricting Panel: Approved, and now voted on

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