Negative Campaigns and Voter Turnout

Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes the impact of negative campaign influences upon voter turnout. It hypothesizes that the greater the number of negative advertisements voters are exposed to, the lower the turnout. The research proposal suggests that there are different types of negative tactics used by candidates and these may have different influences upon turnout and the turnout of particular groups.

Table of Contents:
Part I. Methodological Approaches in Action
Survey Research/Public Opinion Polls
Observation (Overt or Covert)
Part II. Meta-Analysis: Critiquing What You Have Done

From the Paper:

"Data thus far on negative campaigning has been mixed, with some research suggesting that it can be profoundly mobilizing to the party faithful of a generally dispirited American electorate (Jackson & Carsey 2006; Martin 2004), while other anecdotal studies suggest it can alienate the public. Polling individuals from a cross-section of elections allows for a wider array of demographic data, and reduces the possibility of independent variables affecting the results. For example, the area selected for the case study might have a generally low level of civic engagement, which could create low voter turnout that was correlated to a negative campaign by both candidates, but not caused by the candidate's advertisements. Examining different districts, with different kinds of hotly contested or lukewarm races, is more representational. However, a case study allows for greater specificity in conducting the research. The interviewers are able to take more time to discuss the respondent's perceptions, to track those perceptions as they evolve over time, and to paint a comprehensive picture of the campaign, as well as the specifics of the types of negative advertising used in the campaign. A strongly negative advertisement might affect the voters, and make a profound, seismic change upon their level of engagement."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Do negative campaign ads work?" This Nation. 2005. 14 Jan 2008. http://www.thisnation.com/question/031.html
• Jackson, Robert A. & Thomas A. Carsey. U.S. Senate campaigns, negative advertising, and voter mobilization in the 1998 midterm election. Electoral Studies. 26.1: 180-195. March 2007. 14 Jan 2008
• Martin, Paul S. "Inside the Black Box of Negative Campaign Effects: Three Reasons Why Negative Campaigns Mobilize." Political Psychology. 25.4: 545-562. Aug 2004.

More papers on Negative Campaigns and Voter Turnout:

• Research Paper # 113535 : "Exposure to Negative Campaign Advertising"
• Persuasive Essay # 120680 : "Voter Apathy"
• Analytical Essay # 130575 : "Voter Turnout in Canadian Federal Elections"

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