Realignments such as the 1932 realignment are often cited as examples of lasting shifts in party coalitions; why might such realignments not occur again?

• A. parties no longer change as dramatically, instead aligning gradually
• B. voter turnout has consistently decreased over the last forty years
• C. the electoral college is malapportioned
• D. economic issues rarely dominate presidential campaigns

Answer: (A)

Realignments happen when large groups of voters switch their party loyalty in a way that reshapes coalitions for a long time. The reason such dramatic shifts might not occur again is that parties no longer change as dramatically; instead, coalitions realign gradually. In today’s politics, voter loyalty is more diffuse and issue politics are more cross-cutting. Independent voters and ticket splitting mean shifts happen in smaller, steadier steps rather than a single, sweeping realignment. Parties adapt to changing demographics and issues, building new coalitions over time rather than replacing them all at once.

Turnout trends don’t inherently explain why realignments would stop happening, the Electoral College’s mechanics don’t trigger or prevent coalition-level realignments, and economic issues have often played a central role in presidential campaigns, not been a rare or negligible factor.