American Elections
MIT OpenCourseWare's introduction to electoral politics in the United States, covering presidential, congressional, state, and local elections. The course traces how American elections have developed historically, then works through the rules and institutions that structure them, from the Electoral College to primary systems. It examines the macro-structural forces shaping outcomes, the role of parties and other organizations, how candidates calculate strategy and run campaigns, and how ordinary citizens participate as voters. Proposed reforms to the electoral system round out the syllabus. Materials include the full MIT course structure with readings and assignments as originally taught, free to access through OCW with no enrollment or certificate fee. It suits anyone wanting a structured, university-level grounding in how American elections actually work rather than a news-cycle explainer.