Extra, Extra, (Don't) Roll-off about It! Newspaper Endorsements for Ballot Measures

Fahey, Kevin; Weissert, Carol S.; Uttermark, Matthew J.

doi:10.1177/1532440018759269

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Previous literature examining the impact of endorsements on specific elections indicates the importance of considering the type of endorser. Studies have considered the effectiveness of endorsements from groups or organizations such as newspapers (Fahey et al, 2018), political parties (Kousser et al, 2015), and advocacy groups (Gerber and Phillips, 2003). Others have examined the effectiveness of endorsement provided by an individual such as a celebrity or a political figure (Jackson and Darrow, 2005;Vining and Wilhelm, 2011).…”

Section: Impact Of Endorsementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similarly, the use of political endorsements is a long-established campaign tactic that has endured, in part, because of the way campaigns have adapted such endorsements to extend their salience, relevancy, and effectiveness. Often, the success of a political endorsement is attributed to the persuasiveness and effectiveness of the endorser, whether it be an organization (i.e., political party, newspaper, media outlet), a celebrity, or a political elite (Jackson and Darrow, 2005;Chou, 2015;Fahey et al, 2018). However, beyond the source, general persuasion research argues that the message itself contributes to the effectiveness of any persuasive message such as endorsement statements (Perloff, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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It’s not just what you say: the impact of message tone on intra-party endorsements

Vizcarrondo,

Minooie

2024

Front. Polit. Sci.

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This study expands previous research on political endorsements by focusing on the tone of the endorsement, rather than the endorser or the presence/absence of any endorsement at all. Using a 2×2 experimental design and a sample of 906 registered voters from a midwestern U.S. state, this study measures the effect of positive and negative endorsements on the voter perceptions of the endorsee, endorser, and unendorsed candidate during a partisan primary election campaign. Results support the idea that positive endorsements generally improve voters’ attitudes toward the endorsee and the endorser and negative endorsements generally hurt voters’ perception of the unendorsed candidate. Further interaction analyses show that factors such as a voter’s existing enthusiasm for politics, government, and politicians can moderate the effect of endorsements. The findings are in line with the proposition of the Social Judgment Theory and support the existing literature on the effect of endorsements.

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Section: Impact Of Endorsementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

It’s not just what you say: the impact of message tone on intra-party endorsements

Vizcarrondo,

Minooie

2024

Front. Polit. Sci.

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“…For example, these bonds may be used to raise money for schools, libraries, senior citizen facilities, transportation projects, community pools, fire houses, mental health facilities, or affordable housing. Ballot measures of all kinds are notoriously difficult to decipher; they are often worded in legalese and contain perplexing double negatives, making it difficult for voters know what a "yes" or "no" vote actually means (Fahey et al, 2018). Researching what will be on the ballot ahead of time can be helpful in this regard.…”

Section: Ballot Measuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since the candidate names typically come first, voters may tire by the time they reach the ballot measures. One study in California found a declining number of "yes" votes for each additional ballot measure listed; this rolloff was attributed to voters either giving up before completing the entire ballot or voting "no" due to voter fatigue (Fahey et al, 2018).…”

Section: Ballot Measuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Voting Processes and Procedures

Rome

2021

Promote the Vote

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Voting should be simple. After all, it is the most fundamental activity that defines a democracy. Yet, voting in the United States can be complicated. The voting experience is shaped by federal, state, and local laws and norms, and rules often vary from place to place. This chapter explains some of the basic features of American elections: the various offices for which we vote; the two-party system; the process of registering and casting a ballot; political campaigns; federal, state, and local elections; and ballot measures. By understanding the mechanics of elections, we can educate others (thus increasing voter participation) and begin to develop ideas about how to make the system stronger, more responsive, and more inclusive.ranges from 40 in Alaska to 400 in New Hampshire. In most states, Senators serve 4-year terms; in all but four states, representatives serve 2-year terms (National Conference of State Legislatures [NCSL], 2019b). State legislatures consider a host of important policies that affect the lives of their constituents, including access to healthcare (Medicaid expansion, for example), gun safety, Internet privacy, prison reform, voting rules, education standards, and reproductive rights.At the local government level, the legislature unusually operates as a single body, rather than as two separate chambers. Local legislatures have a variety of names including City Council, Town Council, County Commission, and County Board of Supervisors. These local legislatures, whose members are elected by the public, are responsible for those services that most directly impact the day-to-day lives of residents; this includes transportation, libraries, parks and recreation, trash removal, law enforcement and emergency response, and housing and zoning ordinances. In addition, many states elect the members of their School Boards. Despite the importance and impact these positions have on our everyday lives, Americans continue to vote in local elections at significantly lower rates than they do in federal or state elections (MIT Election Data & Science Lab, n.d.).The executive branch, responsible for implementing the laws, is headed at the national level by the President and Vice President. Voters elect the President and Vice-President as a single ticket; they can serve a maximum of two 4-year terms. The powers of the President are well known and have expanded in recent decades (Dallek, 2011). The US President has historically been regarded as the most powerful figure on the planet, often referred to as the "leader of the free world." The President serves as the nation's Commander-in-Chief, has veto power over Congressional legislation, and appoints the members of the Cabinet, senior white House staff, and federal judges (including Supreme Court justices). At the state level, the lead executive is the Governor, followed by the Lieutenant Governor and the Attorney General; all of these are elected positions. The lead Executive at the local level is typically the Mayor, City Manager, or County Executive. Although loca...

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Are Initiatives an End-Run Around the Legislative Process? Divided Government and Voter Support for California Initiatives

Cummins

2023

State Politics Policy Q.

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Interest groups and policy advocates often view the initiative process as a way to circumvent a gridlocked state legislative process. A major assumption behind this strategy is that this alternative path can be successful. We theorize that the same conflict and lack of consensus that killed the legislation in the legislative process may resurface in the electorate and jeopardize the measure’s chances of success at the ballot box. We test this proposition on all initiatives in California from 1912 to 2020 and on a smaller subset of the data that controls for campaign spending and the economy. We find clear and consistent evidence that voter support for initiatives, especially fiscal initiatives, declines under periods of divided government. In addition, interactive models show that increasing levels of party polarization exacerbate these effects. We conclude by discussing the implications of these results for the debate about whether the initiative process makes states more responsive to constituent opinion.

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Extra, Extra, (Don't) Roll-off about It! Newspaper Endorsements for Ballot Measures

Cited by 3 publications

References 37 publications

It’s not just what you say: the impact of message tone on intra-party endorsements

It’s not just what you say: the impact of message tone on intra-party endorsements

Voting Processes and Procedures

Are Initiatives an End-Run Around the Legislative Process? Divided Government and Voter Support for California Initiatives

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