How American’s Vote: How American’s Vote: Explaining Citizens’ Explaining Citizens’

DecisionsDecisions

By Ha Mai, Donald White, Katelyn By Ha Mai, Donald White, Katelyn Escalante, Emily Sharp, Maddy Escalante, Emily Sharp, Maddy

Whitlock, Gabby Andrade, Blaize Whitlock, Gabby Andrade, Blaize Condon, Oshada SilvaCondon, Oshada Silva

Citizens’ DecisionsCitizens’ Decisions Three Major Elements of Voter decisions:Three Major Elements of Voter decisions:

Voters’ party identificationVoters’ party identification Voters’ evaluation of the candidatesVoters’ evaluation of the candidates Match between voters’ policy positions and those of Match between voters’ policy positions and those of

the candidates and parties “policy voting”the candidates and parties “policy voting”

• Mandate Theory of elections – Idea that the Mandate Theory of elections – Idea that the winning candidate has a mandate from the winning candidate has a mandate from the people to carry out his or her platforms and people to carry out his or her platforms and politics.politics.

• Policy Voting – Electoral choices that are made Policy Voting – Electoral choices that are made on the basis of the voters’ policy preferences on the basis of the voters’ policy preferences and on the basis of where the candidates stand and on the basis of where the candidates stand on policy issues. on policy issues.

Party IdentificationParty Identification Crucial for many voters because they provide a Crucial for many voters because they provide a

regular perspective through which voters can regular perspective through which voters can view the political world.view the political world.

Parties tend to rely on groups that lean heavily in Parties tend to rely on groups that lean heavily in their favor to form their basic coalition. their favor to form their basic coalition.

With the emergence of television and candidate-With the emergence of television and candidate-centered politics, the parties’ hold on voters centered politics, the parties’ hold on voters eroded substantially during the 1960s and 1970s eroded substantially during the 1960s and 1970s and then stabilized at a new and lower level. and then stabilized at a new and lower level.

Young people are particularly likely to be up for Young people are particularly likely to be up for grabs and open to the possibility of voting for grabs and open to the possibility of voting for candidates who are neither Democratic nor candidates who are neither Democratic nor Republican. Republican.

Candidate Evaluations: How Candidate Evaluations: How Americans See The CandidatesAmericans See The Candidates

All candidates try to present a All candidates try to present a favorable personal image.favorable personal image.

Consultants need to know what sort Consultants need to know what sort of candidate qualities voters are of candidate qualities voters are most attuned to.most attuned to.• In 2000, a quality that helped George W. In 2000, a quality that helped George W.

Bush greatly was that he was rated Bush greatly was that he was rated fairly positively on integrity.fairly positively on integrity.

Policy VotingPolicy Voting

Four conditions for policy voting to take placeFour conditions for policy voting to take place• Voters must clearly understand their own positions on policyVoters must clearly understand their own positions on policy• Voters must know policies of candidatesVoters must know policies of candidates• Voters must see policy differences between candidatesVoters must see policy differences between candidates• Voters must actually vote for a candidate that aligns with their Voters must actually vote for a candidate that aligns with their

policiespolicies Obstacles to policy votingObstacles to policy voting

• Many candidates purposely cloud position on controversial Many candidates purposely cloud position on controversial issuesissues

• Media focuses on “horse race” not positions of candidatesMedia focuses on “horse race” not positions of candidates Policy voting todayPolicy voting today

• In 1960’s a candidate could win an election through party In 1960’s a candidate could win an election through party bossesbosses

• Today candidates often take clear stances in order to gain Today candidates often take clear stances in order to gain support from issue-oriented people support from issue-oriented people

Stolen From:Stolen From:

Government in AmericaGovernment in America (AP GOV BOOK)(AP GOV BOOK) GGGG