The Frank J. Goodnow Award is presented annually by the American Political Science Association to honor the outstanding contributions of individuals, groups and public and private organizations to both the development of the political science profession and the building of the American Political Science Association.
Citation from the Award Committee:
Caroline J. Tolbert is recognized with the Frank J. Goodnow Award for her extraordinary and sustained service to the profession of political science. Across her career, Professor Tolbert has combined scholarly distinction with a deep and enduring commitment to strengthening the discipline’s institutions, expanding opportunities for scholars, and advancing the public relevance of political science.
Professor Tolbert’s service has been both broad and transformative. She has played central leadership roles in the American Political Science Association, contributing significantly to governance, programming, and the advancement of the discipline’s collective mission. Her work has strengthened core professional structures while also opening new pathways for participation and collaboration across subfields. At the same time, she has been a leading force in building connections between political science and related domains, helping to position the discipline at the forefront of critical conversations about elections, digital politics, and democratic engagement.
A tireless mentor and community builder, Professor Tolbert has played a central role in supporting scholars at all stages of their careers and in cultivating inclusive professional networks. Her work reflects a strong commitment to broadening participation and to ensuring that the discipline continues to grow in intellectual vitality.
Professor Tolbert’s contributions extend beyond the academy, connecting political science research to pressing public concerns and demonstrating the value of scholarly expertise in public life. Through her leadership, mentorship, and service, she has strengthened the foundations of the discipline and enhanced its impact.
In honoring Caroline J. Tolbert, the American Political Science Association recognizes a career defined not only by scholarly accomplishment but by an unwavering dedication to advancing the discipline and strengthening its institutions. Her contributions exemplify the very spirit of the Frank J. Goodnow Award.
Caroline Tolbert is a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Iowa who conducts research on voting, elections, public opinion, parties, digital media, and public policy. She was named a 2021 Andrew Carnegie Fellow for her work on state election laws. She is coauthor of The Problem with Primary Voters: Participation, Representation, Consistency (2026, with R. Boatright and N. Micatka), Accessible Elections: How State Governments Can Help Americans Vote (2020, with M. Ritter) and Choosing the Future: Technology and Opportunity in Communities (2021, with K. Mossberger and S. LaCombe). The latter two books were published by Oxford University Press. Choosing the Future won the 2022 Goldsmith Award for the best academic book from the Shorenstein Center on the Media, Politics and Public Policy, Harvard. Her work is driven by an interest in strengthening democratic government and increasing political participation, focusing on how people respond to changes in election rules, elite political behavior, mass political behavior, and digital media. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and numerous private foundations. Tolbert was a co-founder of Visions in Methodology (VIM) that supports women faculty and graduate students in political methodology. She has served as Vice President of APSA and on the Council twice, as well as on standing committees for APSA. She is active in the State Politics and Policy section of APSA and is a recipient of their career achievement award. She is a co-editor of the Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties.
APSA thanks the committee members for their service: Janet Box-Steffensmeier (Chair) of Ohio State University, Paula McClain of Duke University, and Susan Haire of the University of Georgia
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