How Will The Political Parties Change With No Electoral College?

[retromike22]

Democratic Party: I think it will have a renewed focus on cities that were in GOP states, like Houston, San Antonio, Atlanta, New Orleans, etc. This will make the party even more economically and socially liberal, possibly a social democratic party. However, conservative Democrats in the Appalachia area will likely leave the party.

Republican Party: A new focus on suburban voters, which will make the Republican Party more socially moderate, but will continue to be economically conservative. It will probably capture more libertarian support than previously.

Others: With the Christian Right having less influence, they may create a Christian Party that could be competitive in the South and Midwest.

Also, with rural voters having less influence, there could be the creation of an Agrarian Party.

Hmm... I wonder if, with the elimination of the Electoral College, it would cause American political parties to more closely resemble European parties.

For disappointed Democrats who believe the party has gone to far left, they may create their own version of a Liberal Democratic Party?

[DC Al Fine]

Parties could become even more polarized if elections turn into a nationwide turnout game.

[Smid]

I don't think the Christian Right or rural voters would split off and form their own parties, because there would be no chance of them coming anywhere near winning the popular vote - instead, they would be more likely to exert an influence over the Republican Party by threatening to stay home if they weren't enthused by the candidate nominated. Even the threat of starting a new party would probably have the GOP bending over backwards to appease them. In other words, basically what DC Al Fine said.

What you suggest might be possible if, rather than popular vote, the Electoral College were replaced permanently with Congress deciding on the President, or some other similar system.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Democrats become something like Labour, Republicans like the Tories. The third largest party is some sort of reformist/liberal party, with various minor parties that form coalitions with any one of those larger ones (socialist, green, libertarian, fundie, etc)

[morgieb]

Both parties become more extreme as they feel the need to turn out their base rather than appeal to indies.

[renegadedemocrat]

I just think they'd aim more towards the urban cities in GOP states, the views maybe changing slightly towards the left and right respectively, but that's it, at least what I would think.