Listening to the American Voter: What Was on Voters’’ Minds in Presidential Elections 1960 to 2016

This book explains why elections from 1960 to 2016 came out the way they did. Why did voters choose one candidate over the other and what issues were they concerned with? The answer comes from talking to thousands of voters and analyzing their verbatim responses.　

Traditional methods used by most political analysts have often led to false interpretations and an empty conventional wisdom. Using a unique model and high quality survey data from the American National Election Studies, this book sheds original light on what voters think the most important problems are, what short-term forces may affect voting behavior, the role of ideology, and ultimately, the impact on democracy of not listening to what voters say. In addition, the author presents a new way to measure the ideological composition of the American electorate and considers whether the polarization of Congress represents a reflection of a polarized public.

Appropriate for students of American government and informed citizens as well, this book is a revolution in the study of electoral behavior.

David E. RePass is Emeritus Professor of Political Science at University of Connecticut and author of the landmark article ＂Issue Salience and Party Choice.＂