Author Question: Define ticket splitting and briefly explain the role it plays in Texas politics. How is ticket ... (Read 82 times)

xroflmao · **on:** Jul 8, 2018

Define ticket splitting and briefly explain the role it plays in Texas politics. How is ticket splitting associated with the realignment process?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Why does Texas have only two major political parties? What has kept third parties from being successful?

What will be an ideal response?

jazzlynnnnn · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 8, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Answer: An ideal response will:
1. Define ticket splitting.
2. Explain the concept of realignment.
3. Explain that ticket splitting was an important part of the growth of the Republican Party in Texas. Individuals first began voting for Republican candidates for national offices while still voting for Democrats at state and local levels, then Republican voting expanded.
4. Explain that the prevalence of ticket splitting has declined (mostly as voters have moved toward straight-party voting for Republicans) but still helps explain greater Democratic success in local races than in other elections.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: An ideal response will:
1. Explain how socialization, ideological moderation and pragmatic concerns, and heterogeneous bases of support for the major parties all support a two-party system.
2. Explain that in addition to the reasons mentioned for a two-party system, election laws tend to work against third parties. This includes plurality general elections, ballot access laws, and statewide/countywide elections.