Picture Source: PD CD

Just before the last presidential election a poll was taken by the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University. The study was begun in March 2000 and studied the public's attitude toward the following:

1. Attitudes toward campaigns
2. Attitudes toward campaign practices
3. The role of campaign consultants (not covered in this article)
4. Potential causes of voter cynicism
5. Use of the internet for campaign information and other uses
6. Attitudes toward media coverage of campaigns
7. Attitudes toward political parties

A second study on the same issues was conducted again in October 2000. The people selected for both studies were selected randomly and had nothing to do with the fact that they may or may not have had an unlisted telephone number. All respondents were at least 18 years old and could not work for a market research firm, the media, a political party or a political campaign. The margin of error was calculated to be + or - 3.1%.

Here are some interesting results of the study:

Most respondents stated that they had already picked their candidate of choice at least a month before election day. (69%)

Most respondents didn't feel that the Vice Presidential candidate had a strong influence on who they voted for. (76%)

The respondents didn't consider themselves well informed and blamed the media. (73%)

Respondents believed that unethical campaign practices are common. (58%)

As election day got closer, more people used the internet for information. (57%)

As election day approached two out of five respondents spent one hour or more on campaign news per week (41%)

Over 85% of the respondents claimed that they were registered to vote.

78% of respondents stated that they always vote.

When respondents who didn't vote were questioned over 25% said it was because they weren't registered.

Over 28% of respondents claim that they have contributed money to political campaigns.

At one month before election day only 27% of respondents stated that they were well informed on major policy issues.

When respondents were questioned about sources for political information they stated that print media was the most important while TV was a very close second.

The amount of respondents who say that they are likely to use the internet for political information has increased to 36%.

One-third of respondents rated print journalists and broadcast journalists as either excellent or very good as pertains to political information..

Over 58% of all respondents stated that they had made up their minds who they would vote for before the conventions.

Over one-third of Republicans and Democrats stated that their affiliations affected their choice.

Over 28% of respondents stated that presidential debates influenced their choice for president.

69% of respondents stated that they trust the American public to choose the correct candidate.

Two out of five respondents stated that if an ethics code was in effect they would be less likely to vote for the candidate who wouldn't sign it.

87% of respondents stated that lying is unacceptable.

It will be interesting to see if the above still holds true for the 2004 election.