Elections and party politics across the US

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    Political polarization and negative campaign ads may have increased turnout in presidential elections

Political polarization and negative campaign ads may have increased turnout in presidential elections

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The 1964 election marked the beginning of a prolonged decline in presidential election turnout lasting through the 1990s. Recent analysis of American presidential election turnout from 1952 to 2020, however, reveals an increase previously expected by election scholars. In new research, Francine Romero and David Romero find that the downturn, while real, masked phenomena which were, in the background, […]

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    Why the results of today’s California recall election could have national implications

Why the results of today’s California recall election could have national implications

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California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom will today try to avoid becoming the second leader of the state in two decades to have his position recalled. In this Q&A, Thomas Gift examines the motivation behind the recall, what the process entails, and the potential implications for California—and the country.
What’s the impetus behind the California recall?
The push for Governor Gavin Newsom’s […]

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    Book Review: Meddling in the Ballot Box: The Causes and Effects of Partisan Electoral Interventions by Dov H. Levin

Book Review: Meddling in the Ballot Box: The Causes and Effects of Partisan Electoral Interventions by Dov H. Levin

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In Meddling in the Ballot Box: The Causes and Effects of Partisan Electoral Interventions, Dov H. Levin explores the effects, causes and history of electoral interference, analysing all national-level executive elections between 1946 and 2000 in which the US or the USSR/Russia mounted interventions. The book’s disciplined and thoughtful analysis will shape our understanding of election meddling and its implications for […]

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    What Happened?: The 2020 election confirmed that Ohio is no longer a swing state.

What Happened?: The 2020 election confirmed that Ohio is no longer a swing state.

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Once seen as the archetypal swing state, Ohio has voted for the Republican candidate in the last two presidential elections. Kevin Fahey takes a deep dive into the changing electoral fortunes of the Democratic Party in The Buckeye State, writing that while the party tends to perform well in urban areas in many other Midwestern states, this is not […]

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    How presidents talk about their predecessors is changing – they are now more likely to mention past presidents from the other party.

How presidents talk about their predecessors is changing – they are now more likely to mention past presidents from the other party.

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As they try to gain public and Congressional support for their agendas, Presidents have a number of rhetorical tools available to them. In new research Amnon Cavari examines the changing ways that presidents mention their White House predecessors. He writes that contemporary presidents make nearly 300 references to former presidents a year, and that these references are becoming increasingly […]

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    Is the battle over voting rights the biggest test of US democracy?

Is the battle over voting rights the biggest test of US democracy?

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In a 13 July speech in Philadelphia, US President Joe Biden called the fight around voting laws the “most significant test of our democracy since the Civil War.” Is he right? In this explainer, Julie Norman breaks down the voting rights battle now unfolding in Congress and discusses what’s at stake. 
What are the new voting laws? 
In the first six […]

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    How centrist voters pull the president’s party back towards moderation at midterm elections.

How centrist voters pull the president’s party back towards moderation at midterm elections.

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Elections in between US presidential contests – midterms – often attract lower voter turnout but can have important implications for which party controls Congress. In new research, Till Weber finds that about 10 percent of moderate partisans who had previously voted for the incumbent president’s party are likely to vote for the opposing party at a midterm election. He […]

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    What Happened?: Pennsylvania returned to the Democrats in 2020, but it may not stay that way.

What Happened?: Pennsylvania returned to the Democrats in 2020, but it may not stay that way.

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As it was key to Trump’s presidential election victory in 2016, winning Pennsylvania in 2020 helped secure the White House for Joe Biden in 2020. Ben Kantack writes that there are reasons for optimism for both Republicans and Democrats facing elections in the Keystone State in 2022 and 2024. On one hand, Biden may have re-established the Democrats’ “Blue […]

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    What Happened?: Partisan audits and voter suppression laws are Arizona Republicans’ latest tactics to retain power.

What Happened?: Partisan audits and voter suppression laws are Arizona Republicans’ latest tactics to retain power.

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Even after the conclusion of the 2020 election, Arizona remains a battleground state. As part of that the fight for the Grand Canyon State, Republican-sponsored legislation and partisan ballot recounts are being tested out in Arizona, which has become a bellwether for actions in other purple states across the nation. Eldrid Herrington highlights yet another recount of 2020 ballots […]

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    What Happened?: Georgia’s surprise Senate victories have shaped the early Biden presidency, but an uphill battle remains for the Democrats’ agenda.

What Happened?: Georgia’s surprise Senate victories have shaped the early Biden presidency, but an uphill battle remains for the Democrats’ agenda.

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Last January, against the expectations of many, the Democratic Party won two US Senate run-off elections in Georgia, giving them effective control of the Senate. Lauren C. Bell writes that while Democratic control of the Senate has allowed President Joe Biden to advance some aspects of his agenda, such as COVID-19 relief, procedural limitations mean that more ambitious legislation […]

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