Chapter 8:
Public Opinion,
Participation, and
Voting
Jacob A. Helton, B.S.
For Dr. Hunter
POL 111
Chapter 7 Highlights
• Table on page 181
– Familiarize yourself with the breakdowns
• Handout on campaign funds
– http://www.fec.gov/ans/answers_general.s
html#How_much_can_I_contribute
– Special attention to what an individual can
contribute per election ($2,300)
Margin Definitions
• Public Opinion
• Political
Socialization
• Attentive Public
• Voter
Registration
• Australian Ballot
• Turnout
• Party
Identification
• Candidate
Appeal
Public Opinion
• “The distribution of individual
preferences for or evaluations of a
given issue, candidate, or
institution within a specific
population.”
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.”
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.”
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
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)
Not Margin Definitions
• Intensity
– A scale of extremes far opposed, far in
favor and the gradients in between.
• Latency
– People’s unexpressed wants, needs, and
hopes
• Salience
– Extent to which people believe issues are
relevant to them.
Political Socialization
•
•
•
•
Family
Schools
Mass Media
Other
– Religious
– Ethnic
Awareness & Interest
• Attentive Public
• Political know-nothings
(nonvoters)
• Part-time citizens
Voting
•
•
•
•
Voter registration
Motor Voter
Australian ballot (secret ballot)
Turnout
Voting Elements
• Party Identification
• Candidate Appeal
• Issues
The Test-Stay Tuned!
• http://sbs.mnsu.edu/psle/ga/helton
.html