ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the ongoing changes in political behavior in the United States, regarding voting and elections. Starting with the 1950s, American political parties have undergone remarkable changes reflected in the people affiliated with them. Strong partisan alignments in the 1950s withered in the 1960s and 1970s and have since rebounded with the rise of ideological polarization in Congress and the sorting of voters in the electorate. Coalitional changes, that is, the profiles of groups identifying with the major parties have transformed. Three salient consequences of the changing composition of Democratic and Republican supporters have been heightened competitiveness for control of Congress and the presidency, greater participation in these contests, and more loyalty in voters’ preferences with the nationalization of American elections. This chapter will address how people’s involvement in voting and elections has changed historically since the 1950s, and what may change in the future.
