The research papers assembled in this West European Politics issue are placed in an encompassing framework specifying components of the electoral and party studies research area. This makes it possible to identify complementarities, conflicts, and empty spaces left by the papers. Especially the conditioning of individual party preference through the structure of partisan alternatives needs more work. Generally analysis of the interaction of micro- and macro-level mechanisms impinging on the vote choice is called for. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.