Abrajano, Marisa A.  New faces, new voices: the Hispanic electorate in America, by Marisa A. Abrajano and R. Michael Alvarez. Princeton, 2010. 219p bibl index; ISBN 9780691143057,$27.95.   Reviewed in 2010nov CHOICE.
48-1736 E184 CIP

As demographic and electoral data reveal, the growth of the Hispanic population in the US is generating significant political attention.  Likewise, Hispanic incorporation into and (non) participation in the US electorate is an increasingly important political matter.  Abrajano (Univ. of California, San Diego) and Alvarez (California Institute of Technology) explore the relationship between Hispanic identity and political behavior.  The authors reveal a number of myths concerning an assumed cohesiveness of the so-called Hispanic electorate and challenge the perceptions of Hispanics by outside political forces.  Consequently, the authors investigate an under-researched area in the literature by exploring the future of US politics vis-à-vis the “new” Hispanic voter.  To guide the reader, the book’s chapters offer a wide range of topics, including political identity, public opinion and partisanship, voter turnout and participation, political knowledge, voter preference, comparative ethno-racial politics, and a short examination of the 2008 presidential election.  New Faces, New Voices successfully gives voice to the new Hispanic voter and clearly illustrates the importance of a diverse and growing population.  The book is an invaluable addition to both ethnic studies and political behavior literature.  Summing Up: Highly recommended.  All readership levels. — T. M. Montoya,  Northern Arizona University

American elections and political behavior, ed. by Jan E. Leighley.  Oxford, 2010.  778p bibl indexes afp; ISBN 9780199235476, $150.00. Reviewed in 2010oct CHOICE.
48-1140  JK1976   MARC

This edited handbook provides an overview of how political behavior is studied and reviews the large body of literature on elections and political behavior. The large volume is organized into eight parts. Part 1 is the editor’s introduction. The authors of the essays in part 2 carefully examine research methodologies typically used to study US political behavior. In part 3, the reader learns about political participation in the US. One particularly interesting essay assesses voter turnout in the US and asks whether low turnout really is a problem. Part 4 analyzes voting behavior, and part 6 provides a similar review of the research on “Elections Other than Presidential.” Part 5 considers questions of self-interest in electoral behavior. The essays in part 7 examine the roles of elites and institutions in political behavior. Part 8 provides a broader overview of political behavior research and attempts to tease theories out of the vast accumulation of data and findings. While learning about the state of research in political behavior, readers will find interesting nuggets of information on the development of political science in the US. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate, graduate, and research collections. — J. D. Rausch, West Texas A&M University 

The American voter revisited, by Michael S. Lewis-Beck et al.  Michigan, 2008.  493p bibl index afp; ISBN 0-472-07040-1, $29.95; ISBN 9780472070404, $29.95.  Outstanding Title! Reviewed in 2009feb CHOICE.
46-3522  JK1967  2008-2876 CIP

This book is a must read for anyone interested in voting behavior. Lewis-Beck (Univ. of Iowa), Jacoby (Missouri State Univ.), Norpoth (Stony Brook Univ.), and Weisberg (Ohio State Univ.) have, as the title suggests, revisited the 1960 paradigm-shaping classic The American Voter with an eye toward reconnecting modern voting behavior research to this classic and spurring additional research. The book is organized chronologically such that a chapter-by-chapter comparison with the original study is possible. The authors find that today as in the 1950s, most voters consider themselves closer to one party than the other, and the vast majority of party identifiers vote. The authors also find that while issue voting is more common today than it was in the 1950s, the fundamental explanation–the “funnel of causality”–developed by the authors of The American Voter in 1960 still explains presidential vote choice in 2004. In sum, vote choice can still be explained by long-term sociodemographic forces, party identification, short-term issue preferences, and evaluations of the particular candidates. While the coefficient magnitudes of any individual influence on vote choice may have changed over time, the paradigm itself is still intact. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduate, graduate, and research collections. — Q. Kidd, Christopher Newport University
 
Beyond red state, blue state: electoral gaps in the twenty-first century American electorate, ed. by Laura R. Olson and John C. Green.  Pearson, 2009.  148p index; ISBN 9780136155577  pbk, $29.00. Reviewed in 2009aug CHOICE.
46-7080  JK1967  2007-50228 CIP

Electoral gaps in the US electorate are examined and discussed by reporters, political professionals, academics, and even the public in an attempt to better understand elections and voting behavior. This book successfully provides context and meaning to the most important of these electoral gaps. Individual chapters are written by different scholars addressing racial and ethnic gaps, the marriage gap, the worship-attendance gap, the class gap, the rural-urban gap, the gender gap, and the generation gap, and each explains the evolution of these gaps over time and why they exist. The last chapter discusses how the study of demographic gaps is not just an academic exercise but is used by campaign professionals to develop campaign strategies. This book will appeal to scholars with its thorough understanding of the literature and in-depth coverage of the issues, but is also accessible to undergraduate students and a larger audience. Olson (Clemson Univ.) and Green (Univ. of Akron) did a masterful job of ensuring uniformity among the chapters so the book reads more like a text by one author than a collection of individual essays. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers, upper-division undergraduate students, and above. — R. L. Welch, West Texas A&M University
  
Brader, Ted.  Campaigning for hearts and minds: how emotional appeals in political ads work.  Chicago, 2006.  280p bibl index afp; ISBN 0226069893  pbk, $24.00.  Outstanding Title! Reviewed in 2006may CHOICE.
43-5558  JA74  2005-9159 CIP

The use of emotional appeals through television advertisements appears to be a staple in high-profile electoral campaigns. However, Brader (Univ. of Michigan) argues that a great gulf exists between the art of political advertising and the study of this art by political scientists. Brader guides the reader through the study of political advertising and makes the case that although many studies have been done, few have systematically analyzed the role of emotion in political campaigns. The author seeks to close this gap through content analysis of more than 1,400 political ads and an experimental investigation of the effect different types of ads have upon citizens. His work is both timely and original. The findings suggest that negatively charged ads cause citizens to conduct more research on their own. Enthusiastic appeals work to motivate committed voters to political action on behalf of their candidate. Brader notes at the outset that he has written his book to be accessible beyond an academic audience. He manages to accomplish this feat and retain the rigor of a strong scholar. This book should be read by those interested in the art of political campaigning. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers, lower-division undergraduates through practitioners. — R. M. Alexander, Ohio Northern University 

Caplan, Bryan.  The myth of the rational voter: why democracies choose bad policies.  Princeton, 2007.  276p bibl index afp; ISBN 0-691-12942-8, $29.95; ISBN 9780691129426, $29.95. Reviewed in 2007oct CHOICE.
45-0962  HD87  2006-30855 CIP

This engaging and provocative volume describes why democracy gives us far less than its promise. Countering existing theories of rationally ignorant voters, Caplan (economics, George Mason Univ.) argues persuasively that voters are irrational, registering systematically biased beliefs–and consequently votes–against markets and other sound economic policy metrics. For example, the average American overwhelmingly favors increasing the minimum wage and disfavors free trade and immigration. This counters the near unanimous agreement among economists that a minimum wage hurts the least skilled, that trade barriers make us poorer on net, and that increasing immigration makes the US richer. The result is bad economic policy by politicians who must appeal to their constituency to get elected and stay in office. Despite this reviewer’s (at least partial) disagreement with Caplan’s theory (he is not fully convincing that voters are not simply impulsive and face high learning costs), and certainly with his remedy (that people who think like Caplan should control economic policy making), this is a compelling book, offering readers a well-written and well-argued competing theory for why democracy fails and why we should limit what is done through the political process. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels. — M. Steckbeck, Campbell University
 
Cassino, Dan.  Consuming politics: Jon Stewart, branding, and the youth vote in America, by Dan Cassino and Yasemin Besen-Cassino.  Fairleigh Dickinson, 2009. (Dist. by Associated University Presses),  261p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780838641453, $60.00. Reviewed in 2010sep CHOICE.
48-0545  HQ799  2008-55089 CIP

Cassino (Fairleigh Dickinson Univ.) and Besen-Cassino (sociology, Montclair State Univ.) seek to examine the political behavior and attitudes of young people (ages 18-24) in the US. To do so, they use a variety of research strategies including personal interviews, an experimental design, and national surveys. The authors are particularly concerned with the perceived political apathy among America’s younger citizens. They argue that politics is a brand that competes against many other brands for attention and engagement–especially among young people. They find differences in the ways that young citizens who identify themselves as Republicans, Democrats, and independents conceptualize the political system. They further contend that the perceived apathy among this cohort is far more uneven than many suspect. They suggest that greater engagement may be encouraged through programs like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, especially among those with little political knowledge. These shows do this by rebranding politics as both interesting and important. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers, undergraduate students, graduate students, and research faculty. — R. M. Alexander, Ohio Northern University 

Fortier, John C.  Absentee and early voting: trends, promises, and perils.  AEI Press, 2006.  105p afp; ISBN 0844742473  pbk, $20.00; ISBN 9780844742472, $20.00. Reviewed in 2007mar CHOICE.
44-4128  JK1873  2006-24261 CIP

Fortier, a research fellow at the Right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, sounds an ominous note in his first paragraph: “The United States is in the midst of a revolution in voting. Without great fanfare, our nation is steadily moving away from voting on election day.”  The voting revolution Fortier details is the rise of “convenience voting,” that is, unrestricted absentee balloting and early polling place voting. In 1980 only about 1 in 20 voters cast their presidential year ballots prior to Election Day. By the presidential election of 2004, almost one in four votes were cast prior to Election Day. Fortier explains the historical, legal, and political reasons for these changes. The author argues there are worrisome consequences associated with these changes: first, both parties now target their partisan base to vote early; second, according to the author, there is little evidence these reforms result in increased turnout; and third, convenience voting opens the door to voter coercion and fraud. Fortier concludes this impressive, innovative study with some interesting ideas for reforming these reforms. This is a valuable book for anyone interested in maintaining the integrity of the electoral process. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. — E. C. Dreyer, emeritus, University of Tulsa 
 
Hanmer, Michael.  Discount voting: voter registration reforms and their effects.  Cambridge, 2009.  252p bibl index; ISBN 9780521112659, $75.00. Reviewed in 2010mar CHOICE.
47-4100  JK2160  2009-11762 CIP

Hanmer (Univ. of Maryland) questions the conventional wisdom about increasing voter turnout, suggesting that changes in registration laws do not necessarily lead to increased voter turnout. Rather, a state’s history of encouraging and facilitating voter participation is a more important determinant of turnout. Hanmer examines the adoption of election day registration (EDR) in Minnesota, Maine, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Idaho, and New Hampshire. The first three states adopted EDR in the 1970s to increase voter turnout. The latter three did so in the early 1990s to avoid the mandates of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), or Motor Voter Act, which they believed would lead to increased costs and a loss of control over elections. He finds that there have been greater increases in voter turnout in states the encouraged participation than in those with a history of discouraging participation that adopted EDR to avoid coverage by the NVRA. Hanmer finds that the least educated, youngest, and poorest voters are more likely to be impacted by changes in registration laws, but that the turnout rates among these groups are still low compared to other groups. He concludes by suggesting that education efforts might be a more effective way of increasing voter turnout. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers, upper-division undergraduates, and above. — J. F. Kraus, Wagner College

Jones, David R.  Americans, Congress, and democratic responsiveness: public evaluations of Congress and electoral consequences, by David R. Jones and Monika L. McDermott.  Michigan, 2009.  203p bibl index afp; ISBN 0-472-11694-0, $65.00; ISBN 9780472116942, $65.00. Reviewed in 2010feb CHOICE.
47-3467  JK1041  2009-4567 CIP

Electoral accountability is central to democratic governance. Democratic theory holds that individual representatives will reflect public sentiment, and political institutions will be responsive to changes in public opinion. Empirical political science, however, has long held that individual voters have insufficient amounts of political information and knowledge to bring their members of Congress to heel, much less hold the Congress accountable for its collective actions. Jones (Baruch Univ.) and McDermott (Fordham Univ.) successfully challenge decades of conventional wisdom arguing that the public forms general impressions of congressional effectiveness and folds these impressions into their individual behaviors. In addition, strategic politicians respond to changes in public opinion, choosing not to run when public opinion is heavily negative. As a result, Congress as a whole does reflect shifts in overall public opinion. A compelling facet of this book is the multiple empirical lenses the authors bring to bear on their subject, including survey of experimental, individual level, and aggregate level public opinion, and roll call data that present strong support for their claims. Their findings are encouraging since they suggest that the American experiment with representative democracy is hardly the relative failure that the political science literature often suggests. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. — S. Q. Kelly, California State University Channel Islands

Kaufmann, Karen.  Unconventional wisdom: facts and myths about American voters, by Karen M. Kaufmann, John R. Petrocik, and Daron R. Shaw.  Oxford, 2008.  263p bibl index; ISBN 9780195366846, $99.00; ISBN 9780195366839  pbk, $21.95. Reviewed in 2009feb CHOICE.
46-3532  JK1967  2007-43312 CIP

Kaufmann (Univ. of Maryland), Petrocik (Univ. of Missouri), and Shaw (Univ. of Texas, Austin) take on the mistruths, the half-truths, and the falsehoods often peddled as conventional political wisdom, including the following: Americans vote for the candidate, not the party; high turnout helps Democratic candidates; the gender gap emerged because women became more Democratic; swing voters are defined by demography; Americans voters are polarized; and political campaigns are essentially what determine election outcomes. The authors observe that the mountains of data gathered by political scientists over the last five decades indicate that while “Americans hate to love their party,” they do. On swing voters, the authors observe (and offer evidence to support their contention) that although approximately 25 percent of the electorate might be political “swingers” in any specific election, only about 15 percent will actually desert their party. This book is worth the reading to see how the authors select a number of the most popular myths and then destroy those myths with mountains of data. A rollicking good romp through the landscape of political myths and the horrible fate that awaits these myths when they are subjected to the light of analysis based on empirical data. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers and students of all levels. — W. K. Hall, Bradley University

Lau, Richard E.  How voters decide: information processing during election campaigns, by Richard E. Lau and David P. Redlawsk.  Cambridge, 2006.  344p bibl index; ISBN 0-521-84859-8, $75.00; ISBN 052161306x  pbk, $29.99; ISBN 9780521848596, $75.00; ISBN 9780521613064  pbk, $29.99.  Outstanding Title! Reviewed in 2007jan CHOICE.
44-2956  JK1967  2005-21892 CIP

In their experimental studies of the way voters process information in election campaigns, Lau (Rutgers) and Redlawsk (Univ. of Iowa) approach the theory of voting behavior through innovative experiments to account for how voters seek out and manage information regarding candidates. In doing so, they make a significant contribution to an important aspect of political science. In utilizing a method that presents a rapid amount of information, from candidate profiles to issues and policies, Lau and Redlawsk test four competing theoretical views of how voters process information. They advance the idea that not only should political scientists care about how voters turn information into a decision on how to vote, but also that researchers should focus on how many voters cast their ballots “correctly” (the authors’ term). “Correct” voting is in accordance with a voter’s fully informed preferences; in running various experiments, the authors have provided a fresh, innovative perspective to asking what leads voters to cast their ballots. For advanced undergraduates, this will be a challenging piece; for graduate students, faculty, and researchers in political science, it is required reading. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through practitioners. — J. Michael Bitzer, Catawba College 

Mosh the polls: youth voters, popular culture, and democratic engagement, ed. by Tony Kelso and Brian Cogan.  Lexington Books, 2008.  259p index afp; ISBN 0-7391-2230-4, $75.00; ISBN 9780739122303, $75.00. Reviewed in 2009may CHOICE.
46-5314  HQ799  2008-37201 CIP

This set of original essays probes the intersection where young adults, new media modes, popular culture, and political involvement meet. Kelso (mass communication, Iona College) and Cogan (communication arts, Molloy College) feature younger scholars from both communications and political science in an intriguing and insightful journey through the emerging forms of civic discourse. Well grounded in recent scholarship on political communication, the essays address a wide range of topics: MTV’s Rock the Vote mobilization efforts, Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show as the main television news source, Michael Moore as a civic scold, and South Park‘s less-than-subtle satire. As the 18-34-year-old generation assumes a more prominent role in the US political process, understanding how they learn about politics and how they communicate with one another has become more important. This volume provides an excellent starting point for informed discussion and future research. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels. — E. T. Jones, University of Missouri–St. Louis 

Norris, Pippa.  Radical Right: voters and parties in the electoral market.  Cambridge, 2005.  349p bibl index; ISBN 0-521-84914-4, $70.00; ISBN 052161385x  pbk, $24.99. Reviewed in 2006jul CHOICE.
43-6806  JC573  2004-27504 CIP

Norris, an eminent Harvard expert in comparative democracy, explores why radical right-wing parties have enjoyed sustained success in some nations since 1990. Meticulously employing public opinion and election data, she dissects the experience of radical Right political movements in over two dozen nations, including Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Norway, Australia, Canada, and the US. Political systems that use proportional representation and a low threshold for legislative representation provide a greater opportunity for these parties to gain a foothold. Voters attracted to cultural protectionism (such as anti-immigrant sentiments) supply these movements with an electoral base. In proportional representation systems, parties in places such as Austria have taken advantage of surges of support by pursuing an ideological niche and consolidating their victories into durable party organizations. In majoritarian systems (the US and Britain), radical Right parties find it more difficult to gain traction. Balanced, careful, and thoughtful, Norris rejects “more lurid” claims about the radical Right. This book is a fine complement to The Radical Right in Western Europe: A Comparative Analysis, by Herbert Kitschelt and Anthony J. McGann (CH, Nov’96, 34-1787). Summing Up: Highly recommended. Graduate students, researchers, and faculty. — D. B. Robertson, University of Missouri–St. Louis
 
Politicking online: the transformation of election campaign communications, ed. by Costas Panagopoulos.  Rutgers, 2009.  302p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780813544892  pbk, $25.95. Reviewed in 2010jan CHOICE.
47-2864  JF2112  2008-29195 CIP

A vast literature detailing how the Internet has revolutionized political campaign communications is rapidly emerging. Panagopoulos (Fordham Univ.) has assembled 16 original studies that explore how some of the political campaigns of 2008 adapted to and used the Internet as a tool to inform, target, and mobilize volunteers, contributors, and voters. Collectively these studies address three central questions: Just how much is truly at stake on the Web? What are the early lessons analysts and operatives can draw from the pioneering uses of the Internet in electoral settings? And what are the broad implications for democracy and representation? Perhaps the most innovative aspects of this anthology are the four essays that discuss how blogs and social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube) were utilized in campaigns. Overall, this innovative text provides a solid foundation for understanding how new technology is influencing political campaigns. Very useful citations and references to Web sites. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels. — E. C. Dreyer, emeritus, University of Tulsa 

Project Vote Smart.  Internet Resource. Reviewed in 1998sup CHOICE.
http://www.vote-smart.org/  (CH, Sup’97: revisited spring ’98)
35SUP-458

Founded in 1992 by the Center for National Independence in Politics in Corvallis, OR, Project Vote Smart (PVS) is a nonprofit, scrupulously nonpartisan organization with the mission of providing citizens with information about the political system, issues, elected officials, and candidates from the state legislative level up to the presidency. Organized around a toll-free hotline staffed by volunteers and student interns, PVS added a Web site in July 1995. During the 1996 election year PVS tracked more than 12,000 candidates for state legislatures, governorships, Congress, and the presidency. PVS, which includes former Presidents Ford and Carter among its founders, relies on volunteers, contributions from its growing membership now numbering over 50,000, and grants from foundations to insure free access to the system. Membership is not required to gain access or to use PVS. Up-to-date coverage for each candidate or elected official includes voting records, issue positions, biographical information, campaign finance data, performance evaluations by various interest groups, and contact information. In addition, PVS submits to all candidates its own questionnaire, the National Political Awareness Test (NPAT), which asks each candidate which items from the questionnaire they will support. It does not ask what they will oppose. Nevertheless, the vast majority of the politicians queried fail to return the questionnaire. For example, an examination of the profiles of 38 candidates competing in five US congressional special elections during 1997-98 revealed that only eight candidates completed the NPAT questionnaire. PVS offers numerous links to other Web sites in an effort to offer one-stop shopping for those seeking political information. While PVS stands by the accuracy of its own data, it provides a disclaimer as to the reliability of the information at these other sites. The timeliness of the information provided by PVS makes it a valuable supplement to such standard printed sources as The Almanac of American Politics and Congressional Quarterly’s Politics in America, which give thorough coverage of congressional and gubernatorial incumbents, but unlike PVS give scant coverage to challengers. More importantly, PVS is the only source providing information not readily available elsewhere on all state legislative races. Anyone seeking information on candidates or campaigns will find this a valuable resource.  Highly recommended for all libraries and users, high school and up. — G. R. Graf, Trinity College (CT)
 
Red state, blue state, rich state, poor state: why Americans vote the way they do, by Andrew Gelman et al.  Princeton, 2008.  233p index afp; ISBN 9780691139272, $27.95. Reviewed in 2009mar CHOICE.
46-4128  JK1976  2008-13737 CIP

This book questions the conventional wisdom that wealthy voters and poor voters often vote against their interests, which explains why wealthier states tend to be blue while poor states tend to be red. Gelman (Columbia Univ.) and his coauthors argue that this is not the case. They suggest that the real schism is not between rich and poor (with poor voters voting against their economic interest because of the Democratic Party’s stance on social issues), but between wealthy voters. They contend that poor voters are more likely to vote Democratic, but that the decisive votes are cast by wealthy voters. They argue that wealthy voters in blue states tend to vote Democratic; they tend to be ideologically liberal and secular, while the wealthy in red states are conservative and more likely to attend church services than their economic equals in the blue states. While most of the other works that have dealt with the red/blue heuristic have focused exclusively on the US, the authors of this work include a chapter that compares voting behavior in the US to other regimes, notably Mexico. They find that wealthy voters in Mexico are more likely to be conservative, while poor voters are more liberal. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate, research, and professional collections. — J. F. Kraus, Wagner College

Schaffer, Frederic Charles.  The hidden costs of clean election reform.  Cornell, 2008.  243p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780801441158, $35.00. Reviewed in 2009mar CHOICE.
46-4129  JF1083  2007-48080 CIP

As a result of a variety of voting irregularities in presidential and subpresidential elections since 2000, a broad scale reform effort was made to clean up electoral administration. There has been a flurry of studies examining these varied reforms. See, for example, Tracy Campbell’s Deliver the Vote (2006), Marcia Lausen’s Design for Democracy (2007), and Paul S. Herrnson et al.’s Voting Technology (2007). Schaffer (Harvard Univ.) focuses on the unanticipated consequences of these reforms. He draws on historical and contemporary data from the US and other countries to support his central thesis that “the very attempt to make elections better [also can make] them worse.” Electoral fraud and error, for example, can have significant consequences, such as overriding the will of the electorate, alienating voters, depressing turnout, and ultimately “undermining the credibility of elections and weaken[ing] people’s commitment to the democratic process.” Schaffer devotes separate chapters to the four groups responsible for perverting electoral reforms: legislators who enact the new rules, election administrators who implement them, candidates and parties bound by the new rules, and civic educators who teach the public new ways to behave. This is a cutting-edge study of why and how reforms can go bad. Summing Up: Essential. All readership levels. — E. C. Dreyer, emeritus, University of Tulsa 

Stonecash, Jeffrey M.  Political parties matter: realignment and the return of partisan voting.  L. Rienner, 2006.  174p bibl index afp; ISBN 1-58826-369-X, $49.95; ISBN 1588263940  pbk, $19.95.  Outstanding Title! Reviewed in 2006apr CHOICE.
43-4954  JK2261  2005-18291 CIP

Recently it has become dogma that American politics has shifted from party centered to candidate centered, as voters have become more independent. In this book Stonecash (Syracuse Univ.) argues for the importance of political parties. The author suggests that the decline in partisanship, beginning in the 1960s, resulted in transitions in voter allegiance caused by fundamental party realignments. In recent decades the regional base of the Democrats in the South shifted toward the Republicans and nationally from rural areas to heavily urbanized areas, obscuring for voters the movement toward clearer partisanship. The author demonstrates that as the parties have sorted themselves out pro and con on issues such as expanded government, the electorate has as well. Thus, despite an increase in independent voters during the 1960s-70s, partisanship within the electorate has returned, a phenomenon at odds with the idea of a candidate-centered politics. This book will be an excellent supplement to courses in American parties and American politics generally. The author’s use of a long-term perspective, clear statements of the issues, and effective use of charts and tables provide a paradigm of how argument in the discipline should proceed. Summing Up: Essential. General readers, upper-division undergraduates and above. — R. Heineman, Alfred University 

Editor’s note: Pertinent titles with reviews forthcoming:

Abrajano, Marisa A.  Campaigning to the new American electorate: advertising to Latino voters.  Stanford, 2010.  198p bibl  index  afp; ISBN 9780804768955, $60.00; ISBN 9780804768962 pbk, $21.95

ANES: American National Election Studies.
URL: http://www.electionstudies.org/

Fife, Brian.  Reforming the electoral process in America: toward more democracy in the 21st century.  Praeger, 2010 .  178p bibl  index  afp; ISBN 9780313372278, $34.95

Minnite, Lorraine C.  The myth of voter fraud.  Cornell, 2010.  298p index  afp; ISBN 9780801448485, $29.95

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