This well-regarded examination of the political party and election systems in the fifty states is now available from CQ Press. Written by two distinguished scholars, the book is unique in its focus on state-level politics.

Throughout, Jewell and Morehouse explain how and why parties vary from state to state in how they operate and compete. The authors examine, among other topics, differences in political cultures, levels of two-party competition, and the rules and practices that affect party nominations and other aspects of politics. The authors also describe the interaction between state and national party organizations and demonstrate how much state party competition and state elections are affected by national trends. Underlying the work is Jewell and Morehouse's belief that the state political parties are alive and well; that they're adapting to aid today's candidates; and that there is close competition between the parties in an increasing number of states.

Campaign finance at the state level is emphasized throughout the book. The authors describe the role of state parties in raising money and distributing it to candidates as well as the increasing importance that money plays in gubernatorial and state legislative elections. Many tables in the book provide cross-state data, enabling students to compare their home states with other states.

Political Participation in the United States analyzes patterns of political participation by citizens and offers five different explanations for those patterns based on recent research findings.

Symbolic and instrumental forms of participation are analyzed—from the simple act of discussing politics to the more complex one of running for office. The book examines who participates, what forms of participation they choose, and what they hope to accomplish. M. Margaret Conway also considers the reasons for, and the consequences of, non-participation. She concludes with a discussion of the impact of participation on individuals and on the policies and processes of government in the United States.

This new third edition is updated throughout both in its discussion of research about participation, and its examination of participation patterns (through the 1998 elections). Expanded discussions cover: the role of political mobilization in recruiting people to participate; the impact of relative education levels on the types of participation people engage in; and the importance of social connectedness in stimulating participation and acting as a channel for political recruitment.

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Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1. State Political Systems in a National Setting

Chapter 2. The Growth in Two-Party Competition

Chapter 3. State Party Organization

Chapter 4. The Nominating Process

Chapter 5. General Elections: Candidates, Campaigns, and Issues

Chapter 6. Voting Behavior in Gubernatorial Elections

Chapter 7. State Legislative Elections

Chapter 8. Political Parties in State Legislatures

Chapter 9. State Parties and National Politics

Chapter 10. Conclusions

References

Index

"The strengths of this book are legion. It provides an incredible array of information in one place. No one who studies state politics can afford not to have this book. There simply is nowhere else a scholar or student can go to get the detail of state politics that this book contains. Political Parties and Elections in American States is comprehensive, provides good examples, and places individual state experiences in the appropriate context."

Malcolm E. Jewell is professor emeritus at the University of Kentucky. He has written, cowritten, or contributed to many books on legislative government and state-level politics and has been the recipient of numerous research grants. He is former president of the Midwest Political Science Association, the Southern Political Science Association, and the Kentucky Political Science Association.

Sarah M. Morehouse is professor emerita at the University of Connecticut. Her published works include The Governor as Party Leader: Campaigning and Governing and State Politics, Parties, and Policy. She has received numerous research grants and fellowships and in 1999 was honored with APSA's Career Achievement Award in State Politics and Policy.