The Demise of the American Convention System, 1880–1911

During the nineteenth century American political parties selected their candidates for elective offices in conventions. Around 1910 most states established a system of direct primaries whereby the voters selected their parties' nominees for public office. The current study examines the transition from the indirect to the direct primary, as well as its implications for American politics. It offers a systematic analysis of the convention system in four states (New Jersey, Michigan, Colorado, and California) and the legislative history of the regulation of political parties during the Progressive Era. It argues that the major political parties themselves were chiefly responsible for doing away with the nominating convention. Candidates played a pivotal role in inaugurating the new nominating system as they became more open and aggressive in pursuit of their parties' nominations. The convention system was never designed to withstand the pressures exerted on it by a more competitive nominating process. During the nineteenth century American political parties selected their candidates for elective offices in conventions. Around 1910 most states established a system of direct primaries whereby the voters selected their parties' nominees for public office. This book, first published in 2006, examines the transition from the indirect to the direct primary, as well as its implications for American politics. It offers a systematic analysis of the convention system in four states (New Jersey, Michigan, Colorado and California) and the legislative history of the regulation of political parties during the Progressive Era. It argues that the major political parties themselves were chiefly responsible for doing away with the nominating convention. Candidates played a pivotal role in inaugurating the new nominating system as they became more open and aggressive in pursuit of their parties' nominations. The convention system was never designed to withstand the pressures exerted on it by a more competitive nominating process Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Acknowledgments......Page 11 Abbreviations......Page 13 1 Introduction......Page 17 I......Page 34 II......Page 37 III......Page 50 IV......Page 59 V......Page 75 I......Page 78 II......Page 80 III......Page 88 IV......Page 97 V......Page 106 VI......Page 117 I......Page 121 II......Page 126 III......Page 139 IV......Page 148 V......Page 155 VI......Page 169 I......Page 174 II......Page 179 III......Page 196 IV......Page 214 I......Page 217 II......Page 219 III......Page 243 Appendix A: Collective Biographies of State Delegates......Page 253 Appendix B: Legislative Roll Call Analysis......Page 258 Binary logistic regression results......Page 259 California......Page 260 New Jersey......Page 262 Michigan......Page 263 Colorado......Page 264 Bibliography......Page 267 Index......Page 277 Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Dedication 7 Contents 9 Acknowledgments 11 Abbreviations 13 1 Introduction 17 2 The Search for Harmony: The Convention System in the Party Period 34 I 34 II 37 III 50 IV 59 V 75 3 The Emergence of the Hustling Candidate 78 I 78 II 80 III 88 IV 97 V 106 VI 117 4 Coping with Competition: The Limitations of Party Self-Regulation 121 I 121 II 126 III 139 IV 148 V 155 VI 169 5 "The Pivot of Reform": Debating the Direct Primary 174 I 174 II 179 III 196 IV 214 6 The Direct Primary in the Reform Tradition 217 I 217 II 219 III 243 Appendix A: Collective Biographies of State Delegates 253 Appendix B: Legislative Roll Call Analysis 258 Binary logistic regression results 259 California 260 New Jersey 262 Michigan 263 Colorado 264 Bibliography 267 Index 277 "During the nineteenth century American political parties selected their candidates for elective offices in conventions. Around 1910 most states established a system of direct primaries whereby the voters selected their parties' nominees for public office. The current study examines the transition from the indirect to the direct primary, as well as its implication for American politics. The book offers a systematic analysis of the convention system in four states (New Jersey, Michigan, Colorado, and California) and the legislative history of the regulation of political parties during the Progressive Era. It holds the major political parties responsible for doing away with the nominating convention As candidates became more open and aggressive in pursuit of their parties' nominations, they played a pivotal role in inaugurating the new nominating system. The convention system was never designed to withstand the pressures exerted on it by a more competitive nominating process."--Jacket

How the Democratic and Republican parties changed their selection procedures for candidates for elective office.