成熟した民主主義を掲げる米国の低い投票率の背景には、事実上二大政党以外に勝利の可能性が無いこと、内国歳入法527条に基づき免税措置を受けて活動する政治団体が多大な影響力を持つなどの制度上の問題点が指摘できます。第3版はドナルド・トランプの登場で有権者の分断が深まったことによる選挙協力上の変化や制度の欠陥に目をむけながら、米国の選挙と政党の役割を解説します。候補者や政党が予備選挙や総選挙資格を得るプロセスの緩和や厳格化に向けたいくつかの州での取り組みのほか、選挙戦略におけるSNSの役割についても考察します。
 

• L. Sandy Maisel is one of the best known and prolific scholars in the field of American political parties
• Provides an insider view of the paradoxical aspects of the American electoral system, demonstrating how these flaws lead to an ineffective and undemocratic democratic system
• Following a highly contentious election season, this updated edition allows a better understanding of American electoral system

     
Few Americans and even fewer citizens of other nations understand the electoral process in the United States. Still fewer understand the role played by political parties in the electoral process or the ironies within the system. Participation in elections in the United States is much lower than in the vast majority of mature democracies. Perhaps this is because of the lack of competition in a country where only two parties have a true chance of winning, despite the fact that a large number of citizens claim allegiance to neither and think badly of both. Or perhaps it is because in the U.S. campaign contributions disproportionately favor incumbents in most legislative elections, or that largely unregulated groups such as the now notorious 527 organizations have as much impact on the outcome of a campaign as do the parties or the candidates' campaigns. For instance, in two of the last six presidential elections, the winner of the popular vote lost the election in the Electoral College; in two others, a change of fewer than 100,000 votes in selected states would have led to the same result. These factors offer a very clear picture of the problems that underlie our much trumpeted electoral system.
    
The third edition of this Very Short Introduction analyzes these issues and more. Accounting for changes in electoral coalitions and the extent to which the American electorate is polarized in the wake of Donald Trump, L. Sandy Maisel explains how the system actually works while shining a light on some of its flaws. He also looks closely at turnout questions; efforts both to ease access to the ballot in some states and to restrict access in others; and the role of social media in campaign strategy.