Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-x4r87 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T21:05:20.078Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Does Heavy Turnout Help Democrats in Presidential Elections?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 1986

Harvey J. Tucker ,
Arnold Vedlitz  and
James DeNardo
Harvey J. Tucker
Affiliation:
Texas A&M University
Arnold Vedlitz
Affiliation:
Texas A&M University
James DeNardo
Affiliation:
Princeton University
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

There is conventional political wisdom that high voter turnout in a U.S. presidential election advantages the majority party. Because the Democratic party has been the dominant party in recent decades, this turnout advantage is often believed to accrue to Democratic presidential candidates. In an article in the June 1980 issue of the Review, James DeNardo challenged this conventional view. Indeed, he claimed that the majority party was likely to suffer with increased turnout when the behavior of core and peripheral voters is taken into account. Harvey J. Tucker and Arnold Vedlitz take issue with DeNardo's reasoning and evidence, and DeNardo embellishes and underscores his original case.

Type
Controversy
Information
American Political Science Review , Volume 80 , Issue 4 , December 1986 , pp. 1291 - 1304
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 1986

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Campbell, Angus, and Miller, Warren E.. 1957. The Motivational Basis of Straight and Split Ticket Voting. American Political Science Review, 51: 293–312.10.2307/1952193CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, Angus, Converse, Philip E., Miller, Warren E., and Stokes, Donald E.. 1960. The American Voter. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
DeNardo, James. 1980. Turnout and the Vote: The Joke's on the Democrats. American Political Science Review, 74:406–20.10.2307/1960636CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DeVries, Walter, and Tarrance, V. Lance. 1972. The Ticket Splitter: A New Force in American Politics. Grand Rapids: W. B. Eerdmans.Google Scholar
Key, V. O. Jr., 1966. The Responsible Electorate. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press.10.4159/harvard.9780674497764CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milbrath, Lester W., and Goel, M. L.. 1977. Political Participation, 2d ed. Chicago: Rand McNally.Google Scholar
Verba, Sidney, and Nie, Norman H.. 1972. Participation in America. New York: Harper and Row.Google Scholar