Chapter 8: Public Opinion, Participation, and Voting

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Chapter 8Public Opinion, Participation, and
Voting

• Jacob A. Helton, B.S.
• For Dr. Hunter
• POL 111

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Chapter 7 Highlights

• Table on page 181
• Familiarize yourself with the breakdowns
• Handout on campaign funds
• http//www.fec.gov/ans/answers_general.shtmlHow_m
  uch_can_I_contribute
• Special attention to what an individual can
  contribute per election (2,300)

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Margin Definitions

• Public Opinion
• Political Socialization
• Attentive Public
• Voter Registration
• Australian Ballot

• Turnout
• Party Identification
• Candidate Appeal

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Public Opinion

• The distribution of individual preferences for
  or evaluations of a given issue, candidate, or
  institution within a specific population.

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Public Opinion Polls

• Rasmussen Reports (2/27)
• Giuliani 33
• McCain 17
• Gingrich 13
• The current survey is based upon national
  telephone interviews with 546 Likely Republican
  Primary Voters conducted February 19-22, 2007.

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Public Opinion Polls

• Rasmussen Reports (2/27)
• Clinton 37
• Obama 26
• Edwards 13
• The current survey of 568 Likely Democratic
  Primary Voters was conducted February 19-22,
  2007. The margin of sampling error was /-4
  percentage points with a 95 level of confidence.

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Public Opinion Polls

• Random sample
• Population
• Simple Questions
• No strange wordings (double negatives, ambiguous,
  double barreled)
• Questions worded to allow different answers (no
  leading)
• Options cover the bases
• Margins of Error
• Timing

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Polling Problems Cell vs. Landline

• Under 30 Cell-only respondents
• Generally more democratic (but not significantly
  so)
• Most young people are not statistically different
• Pew Research Center (a polling organization)

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Not Margin Definitions

• Intensity
• A scale of extremes far opposed, far in favor and
  the gradients in between.
• Latency
• Peoples unexpressed wants, needs, and hopes
• Salience
• Extent to which people believe issues are
  relevant to them.

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Political Socialization

• Family
• Schools
• Mass Media
• Other
• Religious
• Ethnic

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Awareness Interest

• Attentive Public
• Political know-nothings (nonvoters)
• Part-time citizens

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Voting

• Voter registration
• Motor Voter
• Australian ballot (secret ballot)
• Turnout

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Voting Elements

• Party Identification
• Candidate Appeal
• Issues

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The Test-Stay Tuned!

• http//sbs.mnsu.edu/psle/ga/helton.html