GOV 310L Lecture Notes - Lecture 22: Secret Ballot, Party System, Gerrymandering
Document Summary
Partisan realignment gradually over time what parties stand for change. Major issues split existing coalitions (slavery for example, which destroyed one party: slavery, civil rights. Party activists exploit new issues or raise salience of existing issues: abortion, tariff (has to do with trade) Increased democratization: primaries (political movement which put this: progressive party. Increased central organization: nationalization of parties and elections. Two party system endures: few small parties persist. One of the most important political changes (polarized america / voteview. com) Two major parties have consistently dominated american politics. Duverger"s law: single-member, plurality electoral institution (smpd) produce two-party systems. Most parliamentary democracies have more than two parties (no single members districts) Coalition governments are common in parliamentary systems. Party discipline is greater in other countries: ballot access (individuals do not get to decide if you have ballot access parties do) First past the post= the winner takes all: one vote for each, most votes win.
