Since the 1960 national election, the nonpartisan Citizens¡¯ Research Foundation (CRF) has published a series of Financing the Election volumes, compiling reliable data on the costs and trends of campaign finance. For the 2000 edition, CRF and the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University assembled leading political science scholars to analyze this historic election season where campaign finance was critically important. Candice J. Nelson of American University compares spending estimates in 2000 with previous election cycles, and discusses the implications of increased spending. John C. Green and Nathan S. Bigelow of the Roy Bliss Institute at the University of Akron look at the presidential nomination campaigns, while Anthony Corrado of Colby College explores the financing of the general election, including the unprecedented Florida recount battle. Paul S. Herrnson of the University of Maryland and Kelly D. Patterson of Brigham Young University review the close party balance in the House and Senate and its effect on the financing of congressional elections. Diana Dwyre of California State University-Chico and Robin Kolodny of Temple University put the role of political parties and their use of soft money in perspective. Alan J. Cigler of the University of Kansas investigates the ways interest groups attempt to influence elections. Anthony Gierzynski of the University of Vermont analyzes the impact of redistricting on gubernatorial and state legislative elections, while Roy A. Schotland of Georgetown University Law School examines the recent history and rising costs of judicial campaigns. Finally, Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution discusses lessons the 2000 elections should teach us about the realities of financing elections and the implications for reform that emerged from this remarkable election. In setting forth the contours of American political finance, Financing the 2000 Election provides a unique reso

"In combing each chapter, I felt like I was reading the next installment of a serial novel, one in which I abhor the plot, but the way the message is crafted and conveyed is too important and interesting to put down….This volume is thorough and eloquently documents the latest escalation of the current arms race in campaign finance. For students, journalists, pundits, and practitioners, and for those citizens and reformers who are not faint of hear, this book will be a welcome read." —Eric Prier, Florida Atlantic University, White House Studies, 11/1/2003

"This book is important for several reasons.... The final two chapters, on judicial elections and on warnings to 'reformers', seem to me the strongest in the work, matching theoretical insight and a breadth of unusual and informative sources of data." —Michael C. Munger, Duke University, Political Studies Review, 1/1/2004

David B. Magleby is a distinguished professor of political science at Brigham Young University. He has published thirteen books on campaign finance, including five in this series. He is also known for his work on direct democracy and party identification and is a coauthor of a leading text on the American government, Government by the People.