gem midterm voting + polls

public opinion

collective views, attitudes, and beliefs held by citizens regarding political matters

benchmark polls

taken at the start of a campaign to measure name recognition and support

tracking polls

repeated over time to measure changes in opinion

exit poll

asking voters their opinions as they leave a polling place

opinion/issue poll

measures attitudes towards specific policies or issues

push poll

meant to influence respondents rather than measure public opinions

focus group

in-depth conversation with a small group of voters

rational choice

voting based on personal interest and self-benefit

retrospective voting

voting based on past performances by the party or a candidate

prospective voting

voting based on promises and expected future performance of a candidate

party-line/straight ticket

you vote for all candidates from one party

clothes-pin

voting for the “lesser evil” of the two candidates

political socialization

the process by which a person develops their political views, involving impacts from family, friends, school, religious/Civic groups and the media

gender

women are more likely to vote liberal/democratic

race

whites are more likely to vote conservative/Republican than minorities

age

younger people are more likely to be liberal

income

higher income voters are more conservative than lower income voters

region

south is more conservative, northeast/west are more liberal

rural voters are more conservative, urban are more liberal

education

more educated voters lean liberal compared to less-educated voters

factors that make someone more likely to vote

• Older

- Richer

- WHiter

- More-Educated

- Presidential-Election Year→Midterm Election→ Off Year

- HIgher level of political efficacy (Belief in your own ability to influence the government)