Critical Election Theory and the 2016 Presidential Election
Document Type
Panel Presentation
Start Date
21-4-2017 1:30 PM
End Date
21-4-2017 2:45 PM
Keywords
Critical Election Theory, Presidential Elections, realignment
Biography
I am a senior political science major at Marshall University. After graduation, I am continuing my education and attending the University of Cincinnati College of Law.
Major
Political Science
Advisor for this project
Dr. Jamie Warner
Abstract
In 1995, V.O. Key wrote "A Theory of Critical Elections", which sorted American presidential elections into two categories, including a few that are considered 'critical elections', and many others that are not. Scholars have now debated this idea of critical elections for over half a century. In this paper I will use the Theory of Critical Elections to examine the 2016 presidential election. More specifically, I will argue that the 2016 election, which resulted in Donald Trump becoming the President of the United States, was a critical election that will have a big impact on the future of our country.
Critical Election Theory and the 2016 Presidential Election
In 1995, V.O. Key wrote "A Theory of Critical Elections", which sorted American presidential elections into two categories, including a few that are considered 'critical elections', and many others that are not. Scholars have now debated this idea of critical elections for over half a century. In this paper I will use the Theory of Critical Elections to examine the 2016 presidential election. More specifically, I will argue that the 2016 election, which resulted in Donald Trump becoming the President of the United States, was a critical election that will have a big impact on the future of our country.
