Contents ix
Th e Campaigns , 75
Th e Length of Presidential Campaigns , 75
Th e Complexity of National, State,
and Local Elections , 77
Th e Cost of Campaigns , 78
Citizens United and Campaign
Finance Reform , 81
Overturning Citizens United , 83
National Laws Th at May Aff ect the
Length and Cost of Elections , 85
Th e States , 86
Th e 50 State Party Systems , 86
States’ Rules on Ballot Access , 88
Caucuses and Conventions , 90
Th e Primary Election System:
Open or Closed? Binding or Preferential? , 93
Replacing Winner-Take-All Primaries or the
Electoral College , 95
Options for Reform , 98
Regional Primaries , 100
Th e Geographical Split of the Two Major
Parties and Competitive Swing States , 103
Eff ects of Gerrymandered Districts , 105
Th e Parties , 108
Th e Parties versus PACs and Super-PACs , 108
Strengthening the Democratic National
Committee and the Republican National
Committee , 109
Structural Barriers to Minority (Th ird) Parties , 110
Changing the American Political Culture , 112
Th e Campaigns , 75
Th e Length of Presidential Campaigns , 75
Th e Complexity of National, State,
and Local Elections , 77
Th e Cost of Campaigns , 78
Citizens United and Campaign
Finance Reform , 81
Overturning Citizens United , 83
National Laws Th at May Aff ect the
Length and Cost of Elections , 85
Th e States , 86
Th e 50 State Party Systems , 86
States’ Rules on Ballot Access , 88
Caucuses and Conventions , 90
Th e Primary Election System:
Open or Closed? Binding or Preferential? , 93
Replacing Winner-Take-All Primaries or the
Electoral College , 95
Options for Reform , 98
Regional Primaries , 100
Th e Geographical Split of the Two Major
Parties and Competitive Swing States , 103
Eff ects of Gerrymandered Districts , 105
Th e Parties , 108
Th e Parties versus PACs and Super-PACs , 108
Strengthening the Democratic National
Committee and the Republican National
Committee , 109
Structural Barriers to Minority (Th ird) Parties , 110
Changing the American Political Culture , 112
