The key characteristics of elections

 

                There are subtle differences between the various elections to be aware of. To begin with an obvious point, a presidential election is conducted on issues that are distinct to local elections. For instance, the issue of national security holds a degree of resonance during a presidential election that just doesn't exist for an election to the state level. Equally, there are some issues that are decided purely at the local rather than national level.

 

                Although there are some exceptions, it is unusual for an issue to be the determining one throughout the various levels of governance. The state of the economy will invariably be a key factor regardless of the level at which the election is held. However, given the relatively weak nature of party labels within the states; it is unlikely that a political party will be credited/blamed entirely for the poor shape of the economy. The actions of any given congressman may have little direct relevance to the policies adopted by the ruling administration. Indeed, he/she may be critical of the President even though they may derive from the same party.

               

State elections (such as those for the governor and the state legislature) are more likely to focus upon local issues and the record of the incumbent. The overall state of the nation has only passing relevance to the electorate. This makes predicting a nationwide trend very difficult for dedicated politicos. A party might do badly in certain areas, but increase their vote in others. Nonetheless, there are some exceptions to the rule. One recent exception to consider occurred in 2002, when the mid-terms were dominated by the issue of national security. The first nationwide election held after 9/11 focused upon which party would offer the best policies to deal with the threat of terrorism. The theme of that year’s mid-terms was therefore a strong card for the GOP under a ‘wartime President.’ The result of the 2002 congressional mid-terms (and the state-level elections) is all the more remarkable given the tendency for the party in government to lose seats. In summary, the GOP gained seats in both chambers. It was the first time this had been achieved by the President’s party since 1934.

 

Quite frankly, it is difficult for one party to entirely dominate American politics. The system of staggered elections, alongside an intricate network of checks and balances; seeks to prevent one party becoming dominant. The founding fathers were largely opposed to the formation of strong parties, believing them to be a threat to stability and democracy within the fledging Republic. This worldview was captured in the farewell address given to the nation by George Washington; in which he warned against “the baneful effects of the spirit of party” and the potential for political instability caused by party factions. Whilst parties can emerge as predominant (as was the case of the Democrats during the New Deal era), it is very common for the two parties to share power within the states.