A Theory of Communication in Political Campaigns

Abstract

In this paper I develop a formal theory of campaign communications. Voters have beliefs about the quality of candidates in the different policy issues and about the issues' relative importance. Candidates spend time or money (TV ads, public speeches, etc.) in an effort to influence voters' decisions at the ballot. Influence has two simultaneous effects: (i) it increases the quality of the policy in the issue as perceived by the voters through policy/competence advertising and (ii) it makes the issue more salient through issue priming, thereby increasing the issue's perceived importance. A strategy is an allocation of influence activities to the different issues or topics. I show conditions under which candidates' strategies converge or diverge, which issues -if any -will dominate the campaign, and under what conditions candidates are forced to focus on issues in which they are perceived to be weak. The results are often conflicting with previous theories of campaigning but are able to explain a set of anomalies.

Pragmatic Analysis on Political Text in Posters, Slogans and Jingles in Davao Del Norte, Philippines

“…However, though these politicians were elected in office, some voters claim that they have knowledge of whom they will be voting for. Thus, it gives importance as a member of society (Denter, 2013).…”

“…A well-crafted jingle and slogan have the power to get stuck in the listener's head and influence a voter's thoughts long after they have forgotten the words of a long-winded stump speech. Voters have priors regarding the quality of the candidates' policies in the different policy issues and about the issues' relative importance (Denter, 2013). Basically, electorates spend time or money in an effort to influence voters' decisions at the ballot.…”

“…It made them liberated in facing the public (Park, 2009). However, voters are knowledgeable enough as to whom they are voting in the coming elections (Philipp, 2013). The purpose of this qualitative content analysis study is to describe the pragmeme in the political language campaign used during the midterm election at the national level, particularly in Davao del Norte, Philippines.…”

Do polls create momentum in political competition?

“…In our paper polls inform about candidates' relative standing and we study how polls inform campaign expenditure decisions. Earlier models of how candidates use their money and time during an electoral contest were studied for example by Davis (1973, 1974), Snyder (1989), Skaperdas and Grofman (1995), Stromberg (2008), Iaryczower and Mattozzi (2013), Denter (2013), and Meirowitz (2008). To be able to study polls and the associated repercussions for electoral outcomes, we study candidate incentives in a dynamic campaigning model.…”

Do Polls Create Momentum in Political Competition?

“…In our paper polls inform about candidates' relative standing and we study how polls inform campaign expenditure decisions. Earlier models of how candidates use their money and time during an electoral contest were studied for example by Brams andDavis (1973, 1974), Snyder (1989), Skaperdas and Grofman (1995), Stromberg (2008), Iaryczower and Mattozzi (2013), Denter (2013), and Meirowitz (2008). To be able to study polls and the associated repercussions for electoral outcomes, we study candidate incentives in a dynamic campaigning model.…”