The American Voter (theory)

The American Voter theory, developed by political scientists David Mayhew, Arthur Miller, and E.E. Schattschneider, explains how U.S. voters make decisions. It suggests that voters primarily choose candidates based on their party identification, which is a strong, emotionally rooted loyalty. When voting, most people rely on this party allegiance rather than closely analyzing policies or candidate qualities. Over time, this partisan loyalty guides voting behavior more than detailed issue debates, making elections more about party loyalty than individual candidate evaluations. This theory highlights the importance of party identification in shaping American electoral behavior.