Having turned Florida Republican in 1992 by voting for George Bush by a margin of two to one, the Cuban-Americans roughly split their vote between the parties in 1996.

ECONOMIST: All about a boy

Since the double ballot encourages people to split their vote, backing a small party for the Knesset and the Labour or Likud candidate for prime minister, both big parties lost votes to smaller ones in the 1996 election, and are likely to lose even more next time.

ECONOMIST: Israel

Republicans are relying on voters to split their ballots and vote for Messrs.

WSJ: Candidates Battle Down to the Wire in Greater New York