Erik J. Engstrom is a professor of political science at the University of California, Davis. He previously taught at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He received his PhD from the University of California, San Diego, in 2003. Engstrom is the author of Partisan Gerrymandering and the Construction of American Democracy. His research articles have appeared in numerous journals, including the American Political Science Review and the American Journal of Political Science. Samuel Kernell is a distinguished professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego. He has also taught at the University of Mississippi and the University of Minnesota and has served as a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Kernell received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. He has written numerous articles and books, including Strategy and Choice in Congressional Elections, 2nd edition (1983, with Gary C. Jacobson), James Madison: The Theory and Practice of Republican Governance (2005), Going Public: New Strategies of Presidential Leadership, 4th edition (2006), and The Logic of American Politics, 6th edition (2014, with Gary C. Jacobson, Thad Kousser, and Lynn Vavreck).

'For many years to come, I expect this will be an important source of information on election law, the impact of ballot design on the 'coordination' of party control of offices, and hypotheses concerning structural manipulation of voter behavior. The analysis is carefully and skilfully executed, the findings are convincing, and the implications are well drawn.' Richard Bensel, Cornell University, New York

• 1. An era in need of explanation; 2. The puzzle of responsive elections; 3. National forces in presidential elections; 4. House of Representatives elections; 5. Senate indirect and direct elections; 6. State legislative elections; 7. Gubernatorial elections; 8. Dismantling the party-ticket system; Appendix: states as bundles of electoral laws, 1840–1940.

Erik J. Engstrom is a professor of political science at the University of California, Davis. He previously taught at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He received his PhD from the University of California, San Diego, in 2003. Engstrom is the author of Partisan Gerrymandering and the Construction of American Democracy. His research articles have appeared in numerous journals, including the American Political Science Review and the American Journal of Political Science. Samuel Kernell is a distinguished professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego. He has also taught at the University of Mississippi and the University of Minnesota and has served as a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Kernell received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. He has written numerous articles and books, including Strategy and Choice in Congressional Elections, 2nd edition (1983, with Gary C. Jacobson), James Madison: The Theory and Practice of Republican Governance (2005), Going Public: New Strategies of Presidential Leadership, 4th edition (2006), and The Logic of American Politics, 6th edition (2014, with Gary C. Jacobson, Thad Kousser, and Lynn Vavreck).

'For many years to come, I expect this will be an important source of information on election law, the impact of ballot design on the 'coordination' of party control of offices, and hypotheses concerning structural manipulation of voter behavior. The analysis is carefully and skilfully executed, the findings are convincing, and the implications are well drawn.' Richard Bensel, Cornell University, New York

• 1. An era in need of explanation; 2. The puzzle of responsive elections; 3. National forces in presidential elections; 4. House of Representatives elections; 5. Senate indirect and direct elections; 6. State legislative elections; 7. Gubernatorial elections; 8. Dismantling the party-ticket system; Appendix: states as bundles of electoral laws, 1840–1940.

Erik J. Engstrom is a professor of political science at the University of California, Davis. He previously taught at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He received his PhD from the University of California, San Diego, in 2003. Engstrom is the author of Partisan Gerrymandering and the Construction of American Democracy. His research articles have appeared in numerous journals, including the American Political Science Review and the American Journal of Political Science. Samuel Kernell is a distinguished professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego. He has also taught at the University of Mississippi and the University of Minnesota and has served as a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Kernell received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. He has written numerous articles and books, including Strategy and Choice in Congressional Elections, 2nd edition (1983, with Gary C. Jacobson), James Madison: The Theory and Practice of Republican Governance (2005), Going Public: New Strategies of Presidential Leadership, 4th edition (2006), and The Logic of American Politics, 6th edition (2014, with Gary C. Jacobson, Thad Kousser, and Lynn Vavreck).

'For many years to come, I expect this will be an important source of information on election law, the impact of ballot design on the 'coordination' of party control of offices, and hypotheses concerning structural manipulation of voter behavior. The analysis is carefully and skilfully executed, the findings are convincing, and the implications are well drawn.' Richard Bensel, Cornell University, New York

• 1. An era in need of explanation; 2. The puzzle of responsive elections; 3. National forces in presidential elections; 4. House of Representatives elections; 5. Senate indirect and direct elections; 6. State legislative elections; 7. Gubernatorial elections; 8. Dismantling the party-ticket system; Appendix: states as bundles of electoral laws, 1840–1940.