Straight-ticket voting, where voters choose all candidates from one party with a single mark, profoundly affects modern democracies. This book critically analyzes its impact on voter behavior, political loyalty, and polarization. It's a valuable resource for political science students and professionals seeking to understand how this voting method shapes elections and the democratic process.
Chapters Overviews:
1: Introduction to straight-ticket voting and its origins in elections.
2: Libertarian Party’s struggles under a straight-ticket voting system.
3: 1992 U.S. presidential election's reliance on straight-ticket voting.
4: Electoral fusion as a counter to straight-ticket dominance.
5: Third parties' fight to gain traction in a straight-ticket system.
6: Straight-ticket voting’s effect on ballot access and candidate choice.
7: Write-in candidates as a solution to party-line voting constraints.
8: Southern Democrats' dominance due to straight-ticket voting.
9: U.S. electoral system and straight-ticket voting’s broad effects.
10: How straight-ticket voting strengthens the coattail effect.
11: 2005 midterms and the role of straight-ticket voting.
12: Electoral reforms in Colorado aimed at reducing straight-ticket voting.
13: Ranked-choice voting as a potential alternative.
14: Libertarian Party’s history within the constraints of straight-ticket voting.
15: The 2010 Texas gubernatorial election's impact from party-line voting.
16: Straight-ticket voting’s influence on the 2012 elections.
17: Analysis of the 2018 U.S. elections and straight-ticket trends.
18: Unified primaries as a potential fix for straight-ticket voting dominance.
19: Straight-ticket voting in the 2020 Republican primaries.
20: Local election case study in 1996 Cook County, Illinois.
21: GOP efforts to restrict voting following the 2020 election.
Straight Ticket Voting is an indispensable resource for those looking to understand how party-line voting shapes elections. It highlights the need for reforms to counter its effects and enhance democratic processes. The insights offered are critical for those who wish to engage with electoral reforms and voter behavior studies.
