Simeon Nichter's research explores the political voice of poor and marginalized populations in emerging democracies, with central reference to Latin America. He examines how politicians offer material benefits to the poor in exchange for political support, and investigates how individuals' vote choices affect subsequent access to services.  Nichter has published articles in the American Journal of Political Science, American Political Science Review, Comparative Political Studies, Electoral Studies, Review of Economics and Statistics, and World Development. His book, Votes for Survival: Relational Clientelism in Latin America (Cambridge University Press), examines how and why citizens often play a key role in sustaining clientelism. Previously, he served as an Academy Scholar at the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center on Democracy,  Development, and the Rule of Law at Stanford University and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Global Development. Nichter received a PhD in Political Science from UC Berkeley, an MPA in International Development from the Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA in Economics from Carleton College.