Clemens sheds new light on how farmers, workers, and women invented strategies to circumvent the parties. Voters learned to monitor legislative processes, to hold their representatives accountable at the polls, and to institutionalize their ongoing participation in shaping policy. Closely analyzing the organizational politics in three states -- California, Washington, and Wisconsin -- she demonstrates how the political opportunity structure of federalism allowed regional innovations to exert leverage on national political institutions.

"The coming woman in politics"--Domestic revolutionaries -- Every mother's child -- Cities of women -- "I wish my mother had a vote"--"These piping times of victory" -- Conclusion : gender and public cultures