ABSTRACT
In a now famous line, E.E. Schattschneider once said that democratic governance in the United States would be “unthinkable” without political parties.1 And despite many changes in American politics, most knowledgeable observers of American elections would still agree with Schattschneider. No other social characteristic or issue position even comes close to party identification in affecting individual vote choice. No other heuristic or information shortcut is used more often by voters as they decide for whom to cast their ballot. Simply put, partisanship has long been and continues to be the driving force behind the outcomes of American elections.2
