Is the American Electorate Polarized?

In recent decades, the gap between Democrats and Republicans seems to be widening. Voters seem to be unable to agree on anything when it comes to policy and the direction that the nation should go in. Furthermore, politics seems to be met with more anger and hostility from each of the parties and their bases. However, is this divide deeper than it has been in the past? Using data from the American National Election Studies, I will investigate whether polarization in the American electorate is occurring and if this polarization has increased in recent decades. This research is important because polarization of the electorate can have effects on the political process as a whole. Therefore, political scientists need to understand if this phenomenon is happening within the American electorate