e.g. Georgia has two rounds, i.e. top candidate needs >50% to win or there is a runoff between top two after 8 weeks
Maine uses STV-ish
California has a non-partisan “jungle primary” for the whole state, top two are in the Senate race
Usually both will be D, in June 2018 there was no R on the ballot
Direct democracy
Ballot initatives
Referendums
Recall elections
No constitutional provision for recalling members of Congress or SCOTUS justices
Mainly exists at state level only
Realigning elections
1932 New Deal Realignment
Great Depression resulted in a new Dem coalition united by shared preference for greater state intervention to address unemployment, poverty, economic instability
Dem Coalition
Working class
Low income
Trade unions + blue collar
Southern white farmers + labourers
Racial + religious minorities
R Coalition
Middle + upper class
Wealthier individuals + professionals
Business owners + corporate interests
Prosperous farmers
Northern, white protestants
Unity within parties
Balancing interests of core party and moderates
e.g. Culinary Workers Union, core member of Dems, opposed Sadner’s “Medicare for All” plan in 2020
Obama stopped short of creating single hantional health insurance that would have been opposed by union
Split-ticket voting and abstention
Generally low turnout despite lots of elections
Voter fatigue
Have to preregister to vote
In UK, required by law to register
Disporportionally affects those disadvantaged
Vastly differing voting methods between states
Postal voting
Colorado, Oregon, Washington have all-mail voting
Some states block postal voting and need a reason to do so
Voter ID
Onerous nomination criteria
Complicated ballot sheets
Accidentally spoil the ballot
Ideological reasons
Two party system, discriminates against third-party and indepdendent candidates – “wasted votes”
Lack of political change, voters feel that there is no change from their vote