Reforming the Electoral Process in America: Toward More Democracy in the 21st Century: Brian L. Fife: Praeger

Reforming the Electoral Process in America

Toward More Democracy in the 21st Century

Reforming the Electoral Process in America

Toward More Democracy in the 21st Century

Description

Calling for increased civic engagement, this book makes a compelling case for reforms that will democratize American elections and provide more power to the people.

Quick-fix plans to "restore democracy" are a dime a dozen. Happily, Reforming the Electoral Process in America: Toward More Democracy in the 21st Century offers a more nuanced approach, emphasizing the value of civic engagement in a democratic society.

Author Brian L. Fife situates our current plight in the context of the growth of democracy, from the Founding Fathers through the Jackson era, the enfranchisement of blacks after the Civil War, women's suffrage, and the Voting Rights Act of the 1960s. He reflects on the work of the Framers as it pertains to voting and elections, compares voting laws and voter turnout in the various states, and offers an analysis of the impact of money in American elections. Ultimately, Fife proposes a blueprint for reform that includes national same-day voter registration, elimination of punch card and mechanical voting machines, reconsideration of felons' voting rights, regional primaries, and the abolition of the Electoral College.

Tables
Acknowledgments
1. History of Electoral Reform Efforts in America
Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union
Philadelphia Convention
Early Reform Measures
Passage of the Fifteenth Amendment
Passage of the Nineteenth Amendment
Other Progressive Era Electoral Changes, 1890–1920
The Poll Tax in the United States
The Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Twenty-Sixth Amendment
National Voter Registration Act of 1993
Help America Vote Act of 2002
Summary
2. Voting Laws in the American States
Election Laws in the States
Federalism and Political Culture
Summary
3. Voter Turnout in the American States
Measuring Concepts in the Social Sciences
Measuring Voter Turnout in a Reasonable and Functional Manner
National Voter Turnout in U.S. Presidential Elections
National Voter Turnout in U.S. Midterm Elections
Voter Turnout in the Free World
Summary
4. The Electoral College and the Framers in Philadelphia
Article II of the U.S. Constitution
The Twelfth Amendment
The Debate About Presidential Selection at the Philadelphia Convention
Summary
5. Money and Elections in America
Money in Presidential Elections
Money in Congressional Elections
History of Campaign Finance Reform in the United States
Summary
6. The Path to Enhanced Democracy: A Blueprint for Electoral Reform in the United States
The Importance of Theory in American Politics and Policy
The Importance of Studying History in American Politics and Policy
Amending the Federal Constitution
A Word About the Original Intent Debate
The Constitution as a "Living Document"—The Notion of Active Liberty
Active Liberty in Practice
The Importance of Constitutional Interpretation
A Blueprint for Electoral Reform
A Final Word
Notes
Bibliography
Index