This is an upper-level elective course in political science,
designed to
familiarize students with the electoral process and party
politics. While the course focuses primarily on the American
political system, it also makes frequent and systematic
comparisons
with other electoral democracies. The course also introduces
students to contemporary political science research at a
moderately
advanced level and to some theoretical and normative concerns of
political
science with respect to the electoral process and party
systems.
Particular attention will be paid to the potential role of third
parties.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Revised Outline of Topics and
Readings
Bulletin Board (Question & Answer)
Tests and Exams
Guide to Midterm Test (updated
for
Fall 2004) Histogram
Midterm
Take-Home Assignment
Guide
to Final Exam [Updated for Fall 2004]
Class Handouts (and links)
Forecasting
Presidential Election Outcomes
Data for
Question 3
Graph 1: Vote By GDP
Change
Graph 2: Vote by
Pres. Job
Approval
Graph 3: Vote
by
"Time for a Change"
Graph 4: Vote By GDP
Change with "Time for a Change"
Graph 5: Vote
by
Pres. Job Approval with "Time for a Change"
Predictive
Equations
with Predictions for 2004
Incumbency
Advantage
Crosstabulation
"Time for a
Change"
Crosstabulation
Related Links
Summary
Paper
by Randall J. Jones, Jr. (with links)
Bureau of Economic
Analysis
PollingReport.com:
Bush
Job Ratings
Roper
Center:
Presidential Job Approval Ratings
Political
Forecasting
Fair Model
Forecasting
U.S.
National Elections (Lewis-Beck & Tien)
Questions to Think About (for Topics #4 and
#5)
Varieties of National Party
Systems
Voting To Elect a Single Candidate
Transparencies
Exercises
Pertaining
to
Voting Rules Answers
& Discussion to Exercises
Arnold Uken, "An Introduction to Voting Theory: History and Procedures" [PowerPoint --- click here and then on this item]
Web Sites: The Center for
Voting and
Democracy
Election
Methods
Education and Research Group
Condorcet.org
Accurate
Democracy:
Electoral and Legislative Voting Rules
Approval
Voting
Home Page
Instant
Runoff Voting
Presidential
Democracy Project: Instant Runoff Voting
Voting
System Reform
Instant
Runoff
Voting Animation
Voting To Elect Several Candidates (MMDs)
Seats and Votes in Districted Elections
Figures 1-6
Figures 7-8
Stratetigic Effects in Voting Systems and Duverger's Law
Party Competition for Votes: Electoral
Divergence
and Convergence
Bernard
Grofman,
"Downs and Two-Party Convergence"
[Note: this link will work
only
if you are using a UMBC computer]
Presidential
Election Material
Closest
Elections
in Marginal and Pivotal States
Closest Popular Vote Margins, Closest
Electotal
Vote Margins, and "Tipability"
2004 Presidential
Election Data
2004 Popular
Votes
=> Electoral Votes Chart
2004 Zoom-In
Chart
British Election Administration (BBC Q&A)
Caltech-MIT Voting
Technology
Project
The Evolution of American Political
Parties
General Links
Instructor's
Homepage
(bio, research, other courses, etc.)
UMBC Political
Science
Department
American Political Science
Association
Guidance on Plagiarism and Academic Integrity
UMBC:
Overview
of Academic Integrity
Resources
for
Students
Guidance on
Plagiarism (Prof. Roy Meyers)
"Plagiarism"
by
Prof. Earl Babbie
2004 Presidential Election
Media and Current Events
Washington Post
On Politics
New York
Times on
the
Web (requires free registration)
The Times (London)
The Guardian (UK)
CNN All Politics
BBC World Service
C-SPAN
PBS Newshour
Political Parties, Candidates, and Campaigns
World
Political
Parties (including 68 U.S. Parties)
Democratic
National
Committee
Republican National Committee
History
of
Presidential Campaign Commercials
Polical
Party
Material (LSU)
Campaign
Reform:
Insights and Evidence
Campaigns & Elections
(magazine)
PBS
Democracy Project
Voter
Turnout: A
Global Report
Resources for Political Science Research on Voting and Elections
POLI
423
Links for Research on Presidential Elections
