POSC 369. Elections and Voting Behavior

3.00
The electoral process is one of the primary means by which Americans can hope to influence public officials, and thus public policy, in the United States. Elections provide voters an opportunity to hold political officials and political parties responsible for their actions in office; ideally, elections as a means of accountability should serve to keep office holders responsive to the public’s needs. In reality, however, there are many impediments that may preclude the democratic system from functioning as effectively as it should, such as low levels of voter knowledge and voter turnout, changes in primary election scheduling, and even mathematical complications posed by the Electoral College system. Only by studying elections can we understand the complexity of our political environment, and how factors beyond voter preferences and candidate agendas can shape election outcomes in the United States. Prerequisite: POSC 225 .