17.263 | Fall 2020 | Undergraduate

American Elections

Course Description

This course provides an overview of electoral politics in the United States, covering presidential, congressional, state, and local elections. It covers the development of American elections over time, electoral rules and institutions, the macro-structural forces shaping electoral outcomes, the key organizations …
This course provides an overview of electoral politics in the United States, covering presidential, congressional, state, and local elections. It covers the development of American elections over time, electoral rules and institutions, the macro-structural forces shaping electoral outcomes, the key organizations involved in elections (parties, etc.), candidates’ calculations and campaign strategies, and the role of ordinary citizens in the electoral process, as well as potential reforms to the U.S. electoral system.
Learning Resource Types
Written Assignments
Lecture Notes
In an open room, people positioned behind dividers emblazoned with the U.S. flag fill out ballots.
Election Day 2020 at a voting center in Des Moines, IA. (Image courtesy of Phil Roeder on Flickr. License CC BY.)